The Mortal Intruments: City of Secrets
by ReadandEnjoy
Summary: The festival continues, but when the new Consul presents Clary with a strange stele everything changes. Now the Cursed Ones start to get involved, and not just Alicante is threatened. This time the whole world is in danger. Rated M for various reasons.R
1. Chapter 1: The Secret Stele

**No big intro as to who I am, I just hope you enjoy this continuation of this story and hope I don't go to OOC on it however remember that the further from the original we go time wise, the further OOC it is likely to become. This story is set immediately after COG****. WARNING: SPOILERS ARE INCLUDED! ****Please Read and Review!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN the Mortal Instruments; Cassandra Clare does**(She also wrote the first paragraphs up until the three *)

"Clary," Jace said, breaking her out of her reverie. He tightened his arms around her; the crowd was cheering as the first of the rockets went up. "Look."

She looked as the fireworks exploded in a shower of sparks-sparks that painted the clouds overhead as they fell, one by one, in streaking lines of golden fire, like angles falling from the sky.

_Cassandra Clare, City of Glass_

***

Chapter 1: Things Left Unsaid

"So Simon, what did happen in that forest?" Isabelle said as she snaked a hand around his shoulder, Maia wasn't looking pleased at this but let it slide. "Why did they just let you walk away after the battle, I thought they were trying to enslave you or something." Isabelle was obviously trying to make polite conversation, but her voice shook a bit with the hidden concern.

"Well, Clary helped me outsmart them, and they decided in the end it was in their best interests to leave me alone." He snickered and gave her a slight hug as her eyes broke and she let out a shaky laugh. Simon glanced at Maia, who was also looking shaken. As Isabelle was beyond speech Maia answered the questioning looks that Simon was giving off. "I thought you weren't going to come out of those woods," Maia said, laughing a bit shakily as a tear fell from her eye on the last word, "I really thought they were going to kill you Simon, and I had just ran away and left you in their hands." The guilt in her voice was plain and Simon wrapped his other arm around her, Alec had come to Isabelle's side as she was holding in sobs and gasping for air every few moments.

"No, no Maia it's not your fault, I told you to leave." He said as he wrapped his other arm around her, the fireworks still boomed, drowning out her sobs. Isabelle was fine, for the most part, and was explaining how Maia had found her just before she went after Jace and told her about the vampires and Simon. Apparently, she had had a horrible time choosing to go after Jace instead of Simon. "It's not that I wasn't worried about you Simon," Isabelle said, her eyes unable to look at him, "After what happened to Max I just couldn't…" She choked at the end of the sentence, Alec grasped her harder as Jace and Clary looked on. Magnus was still gazing around taking in the city.

Simon cradled Maia in his arms as she continued to sob, he looked over at Isabelle who had let her gaze fall to the ground, and she shivered but was no longer sobbing. "I couldn't lose another brother like I lost him, not when I could do something about it." She choked out after a few more moments. Alec held her tight as she turned her head into his shoulder with renewed sobs. "I know Isabelle, I don't blame you or you Maia, and if I blame anyone I blame myself for not telling you both about our plan." With this he slowly raised his hair, the Mark upon his forehead glowed brightly, golden in color against his pale skin, and the Fireworks light changed the color of the surrounding but not that of the Mark. The entire group drew a simultaneous breath as they collectively gazed at the Mark and then to Simon and Clary.

"Is that?" Magnus asked breathlessly they all could seem to be thinking the same thing. "Yes, the Mark of Cain?" Jace said to the total lapse of thought through the entire area.

"Clary…How did you?" Maia stopped herself as she glanced down at her hand, the back of which still held the Alliance rune scar, even with her healing ability she doubted it would ever vanish. She laughed at herself as she said, "I keep forgetting how special you two are. If anyone kept this entire world from falling apart it was you two." They all smiled and chuckled a bit.

Only Jace and Magnus took a sterner look at this statement. Their eyes met and they knew they both had the same thought, _it a bit early for that statement_, but kept quiet and went back to looking up at the fireworks.

"So my biggest question is this, what now?" Alec asked looking about as Isabelle straightened her dress and wiped her eyes. Maia remained leaning on Simon and he kept her in his grasp, to which Isabelle seemed to shrug as if she didn't care, however her strangely more readable eyes said more to Clary. "Are we all going back to New York? I know I have to, I've been assigned there officially now, and mom is still in charge of the Institute there, but dad might have to stay here in Idris." He explained as they all sat down and began talking about what their plans where, all except Clary and Jace.

"I know what I'm doing so." She said plainly as she leaned up against Jace, her back to his front, his arms wrapped tightly around her. She heard distant music and began to sway side to side in rhythm, Jace following her lead. Soon the music got louder but the others conversation had got Clary to wondering, but it was a thought she would act on after this song. Maia was dancing with Simon, Isabelle was dancing with Alec with an agitated Magnus watching, and Aline decided to take said agitated warlock and dance with him. A song very much like an instrumental version of Hallelujah from that movie she had seen Shrek was playing and she and Jace dance on the side lines of the square in a simple sway. The square was full of couples dancing and basking in the light from the Council chamber behind them.

Clary turned in Jace's arm, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her as she whispered in his ear, "Think we could go somewhere more private to talk?" her tone might have made the statement sound like a question, but by Jace's instant nod and move to take her hand and lead her away down the side of the canal showed he had taken it as an order.

They continued down the road by the canal, she had faintly heard Isabelle yelling at Alec who was engaged with arguing with Simon over something, and she couldn't help herself from wondering who Simon would choose when the time came, Maia or Isabelle, since even the earlier scene had left very little answered. Simon had held Maia because he was unsure and probably felt slightly guilty from being with Isabelle after Max's death, but that didn't put Maia out either. However as Jace pulled her a bit due to her having fallen behind she snapped back to the present and glanced over at the boy walking next to her. His hair, his face, hi body all of it was everything she had dreamed of finding and never once thought would actually be hers. The only thing about him she hadn't dreamed of were his eyes, his golden eyes that seemed to shine, that was a trait she didn't even know a man could have and it was just icing on the cake as far as she was concerned. However it was also something deeper, it signified their shared blood of an angel who had suffered greatly at the hands of her father. "Clary?" Jace asked suddenly, she hadn't realized that they had arrived outside a house on the eastern edge of the canal, nor that Jace had opened the door and was waiting for her to enter before him in a gentlemanly fashion.

"Sorry, I spaced." she said as she blushed and they both ducked inside. The house was dark, and surprisingly small, just a living room, with an adjacent kitchen and a stair well leading up to the second floor. "Whose house is this?" Clary asked as she sat on the couch smoothing out the front of her dress. Jace just glanced around with a slight glint of pride in his eyes, and then came to sit by her, looking deeply into her eyes with a smile.

"Mine," Jace said, "Turns out my father had left me a bit in his will, but since no one knew who I was…" he trailed off as he moved his glance to the fire and stared into it in deep thought.

"Well, um, that changes a few things." She said, turning his face to look at hers instead of the fire. "Look Jace, I want to know if you are staying here or coming back to New York with Luke, my mom and me?" she asked him as softly as possible. She had been stressing over this for the past few days, not knowing if he would want to go back after finally returning to the home he had missed for so long, and the recent conversation between the others was not helping her nerves.

"Clary, do you really have to ask that question of me?" Jace looked amused as he shook his head, his hair falling over his eyes as he smiled and chuckled.

"Don't laugh at me, I mean, look around; you own a house here and everything now." She was starting to tear up at the thought of being separated from him. She wouldn't abandon Luke and her Mom, and she couldn't be separate from the one she loved. How could they make her choose! "I don't want to lose anyone… not anyone else, not after all we had to do to get this far." She blinked and a tear fell, but before it even splashed on the coffee table his arms were around her, holing her tightly.

"I'm not leaving your side Clary, never again, that's why I was laughing. I thought you knew." He whispered, she hugged him tightly, bringing her arms vertically under his which were wrapped around her neck she laced her fingers into his hair. "But Jace, your house and Alicante and the council" she stopped short of finishing her sentence.

"Clary, no one owns a house here really, most just rent, like I did this one, my Father left me a mansion out in the country that I plan to rent out." He explained, holding her out now and cradling her face in his hands as he chuckled. "Clary, you've been a Shadowhunter how long? We are nomads, where the Clave sends us is where we go."

Her face dropped as she realized he was right, "But then what if they send u somewhere else?" Clary couldn't stand choosing to leave him but being forced to leave him was an even worse thought to her, oddly she thought it would have been the other way around.

"I won't leave you. If they tell me to go elsewhere, I'll appeal to their better nature, and this whole 'we saved your sorry asses' thing for extra leverage." He brought her closer to him and kissed her deeply, bringing her face to his with his hands still cupped around her cheeks. He let his hands roam to her waist and held her close, her arms rubbing his chest and then finally resting across his shoulders where she laced her fingers together behind him and mover her attention to the kiss.

She kissed him harder and more roughly, her tongue begged entrance at his lips so he opened his mouth, allowing her access. He grasped her harder and she allowed him to pull her over. She hoisted her Dresses bottom up so that it was now as long as a skirt, as he brought her closer to him with his hands still grasping her waist. She was now straddling his lap, her hands still roaming his toned chest as she kissed him as she had kissed no one else. It felt right, like fate, and she wouldn't trade that moment of bliss for anything.

"You know," she managed to gasp as they came up from each other for air, his hands still on her hips, "if we go to much further Luke might actually kill you." She chuckled as she rested against his shoulder, he bit her earlobe teasing her as she came back to kiss him, pulling back after each few kisses, tormenting him in her own way. "I think-your mom-scares me-more than Luke!" he said in between her assaults. He pulled her into one last long embrace, their tongues fighting for dominance, hers winning in the end. They at last separated when a knock came at the door.

"Thought I might find you two here… although your more dressed then I expected." Isabelle was giggling; she had apparently already entered and walked into the room before knocking on the wall to get their attention.

"That is the last time I give you a key to my place Izzy!" Jace was not mad, but not happy about being interrupted. Clary was blushing to the point where she resembled a steamed lobster. Jace, on the other hand, had a proud grin as though he wasn't in the least bit surprised that Izzy had burst in but then knowing Isabelle it made sense. "Now what did you want?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Luke and Clary's mom are on their way over here and thought you might need a bit of a head start." Isabelle chuckled. Clary straightened her dress as Isabelle said, "They should be here right about…" Clary glancing about desperately and then she quickly dashed upstairs to the utter confusion of the other two.

"Where was she going?" said Isabelle who stopped as Luke and Jocelyn entered the small house through the door Isabelle had left opened? Isabelle made a face of guilt to Jace and then turned smiling to the newcomers.

"Where was who going Isabelle?" Luke raised his eyebrow as he stared into her eyes. Jace knew that Isabelle was a good liar, even a great one, but Luke was a master at reading people's faces.

"Clary, she is up stairs in the bathroom." Jace was praying that they wouldn't ask him what Isabelle had meant by saying 'where _was_ she going?' and that she really was in the bathroom and not hiding in his room upstairs.

"Really?" Jocelyn said with a doubtful smirk, but before Jace could respond they heard the sound of a toilet flush from above and Jace exhaled a breath silently he didn't even know he was holding. "Oh, well I guess that answers that. Now my only question is how long has she been-"

"Oh, Luke, mom!" Clary said loudly as she started down the stairs, swiftly changing the topic, "What are you guys doing here? Is the Meeting over?" Jace was thanking heaven for her quick wit in this situation, as Isabelle's jaw dropped at how smooth Clary had just worked her mom.

"Yeah actually, they were a bit anxious to finish so that they could take part in the festival. Anyway Clary, we have a gift for you from the Council!" Luke said excitedly, Jocelyn however looked solemn. "Um Jocelyn, come on now, you know it's for the best she has it." Luke said, wrapping an arm around her and pushing her toward her daughter.

"I know Luke, it's just if she takes this then the next thing you know they'll be wanting her trained for combat and then." Jocelyn stopped abruptly as Luke had kissed her forehead; she sighed and produced a long thin box from her pocket. Clary took it and unwrapped it carefully, not knowing what to expect. When she slid the box cover off inside gleamed a small cylinder about 7 inches long and giving off a soft white glow. Jace stepped up behind Clary, placing a hand on her shoulder; Isabelle just leaned her head over and looked into the box.

"Is that a?" She asked gazing into the box. Clary nodded and lifted the object from the velvet lined box and holding it up to the light for all to see.

"A stele, but it doesn't look like any I've ever seen." Jace said as they all gazed at the golden runes that began to glow as Clary held it. The tip was narrower, almost like a pencil would be, and came to a jutting out tip of gold. "The Consul said it was the newest model and that they wanted Clary to have it as thanks for saving them with her rune." Luke explained, Jocelyn wasn't looking all too happy, but Clary's eyes gleamed. More than that, they glowed.

"Clary?" Jace said as she continued to gaze up at the Stele which was now vibrating slightly, the runes glowing brighter and casting their shapes unto the walls of the house, they began to liquefy and more across the surface of the stele like Raziel's had across his skin. Clary's eyes glowed brighter, now turning from just shining iris to enveloping the entire eye. The light made them look away, but Jace just reached out as her hand trembled holding the stele and he gripped her tightly and pulled her back to him, she dropped the Stele and her eyes dimmed. She fluttered them and gazed at him once more. "Jace?" her voice cracked and her head sagged in his arms, her body limp.

**Oh, I'm sorry; did I just end in a cliffhanger? Oh well, if you don't like that tough because you're not writing this FanFic! Muhahahaha, but please continue to read and review. After all if you want to find out what's going on, you must read on.**

**Author's note: this story is currently rated T because although the scenes get a bit heated, it's not quite past what you'd find in the books, which are professionally rated for 14 and up. However it will become rated M later on for various reasons, and mainly to keep me from getting in trouble. Please continue reading, and to make this story easier for you to find, if you like it then favorite it or me! Thank you and good reading.**

**_I have more chapters in the chamber waiting to fire, all i need is some reviews and ill post 'em for you to enjoy!_**


	2. Chapter 2: Opinions of Success

**Here is chapter 2. Let's just dive right in shall we?**

"Simon?" Maia asked as they walked down the pathway from the Square to the North Gate, Simon was going to walk her back to her Pack's campsite outside of town before heading off to find Clary. He knew that would be hours from now, as he had to walk out to the deep forest and back, but being a vampire the night didn't bother him. And having the mark on his forehead gave him added confidence. "Hmm?" he responded, Maia was walking close to him, practically into him, and was fidgeting with her finger nails.

"I was just wondering, why you choose me?" She asked with a sideward glance toward him.

"What do you mean?" He said in reply, knowing full well what she must have meant.

"Why you choose me over Isabelle back at the festival?" She asked stopping and looking down at her feet. She was not the kind of girl that would have struck him as the shy kind, but then he had mostly met her while they were in the middle of battle or in the bowels of some evil trap. "I mean, I'm not nearly as attractive as her, or as mysterious or even as forbidden!" She said as she rubbed a stick into the ground with her toes.

"Maia." Simon said plainly, she glance up and instantly saw he was already upon her, his arms snaked under hers and drew her closer to him. She gasped in surprise but the moment her mouth opened he captured it with his, kissing her deeply and causing her knees to give way. Her eyes fluttered as she closed them slowly, bring her arms down from the air where she had thrown them to rest across his shoulders. They were on a lonely street under the light of the moon alone, as now Tower was casting light here and no house was lit either. She pulled him closer and encouraged his lips to open, at which point she quickly slid her tongue inside and soon began exploring hi mouth. A low moan escaped her throat, yet as she brushed her tongue against something sharp he quickly pushed her away instead of bringing her closer. "I'm sorry, it's just." Simon was breathing heavily, odd considering most vampires don't breathe at all.

"Was it something I did?" She asked shakily as she regained her composure, he shook his head and smiled, showing his fangs unwillingly extended, one dripping a single drop of blood. She realized then that she hadn't felt him prick he, but she tasted blood in her mouth, her blood. Simon backed off another step. "I'm sorry, Maia, I can't risk hurting you. I care too much." He said quietly. She stepped forward, bringing him closer as she grasps his hand; she reached up and used her fingers to brush the hair from draping into his eyes. She drew him closer to her face, as she kissed his lips gently then held his face cradled in her hands.

"You won't." she said with a smile.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, his will to resist her faltering as she neared him again, he tried to push her back again, but his will was gone and instead he just managed to wrap his arms around her again.

"Because I trust you, Simon." She whispered as at last their lips met again after what felt like an eternity. He felt her crumple into his arms again, and this time as he opened his mouth slightly like before he tasted the blood on her lips. Fear gripped him as he felt control leave; he was holding her closer now, forcing himself upon her, slowly moving his fang to her exposed throat as she begged him weakly to stop.

Jace had barely noticed her going limp before he had already scooped her up bridal style and was rushing her up the stairs. Luke saw him move, but only barely, he thought weakly _that's not possible, no one can move that fast._ Jocelyn was in shock and leaned against Luke for support, but Isabelle was already at Jace's heals, pulling her own Stele from her pocket as she climbed and heading off toward the only bedroom in the house. Luke quickly pulled Jocelyn with him up to the room as well. By the time they were at the door, Jace had her laid carefully on the bed and Isabelle was examining her eyes, using a witch-light as a doctor would an instrument (I don't have a clue as to what those things are called) and Jace was brushing off her arm as he descended on it with the Stele.

"Wait!" the cry was from Jocelyn, and thusly surprising, she strode forward and snatched the stele from Jace's grasp, then crouched and began drawing an healing mark on her arm. But as it took shape he realized it wasn't exactly the rune he was used to, it translated _mend this soul_ instead of his usual _mend this body_. He gazed at the glowing mark, it was red and outlined with gold, apparently her mother still retained a bit of the angel's power from that blood of his she drank so long ago. "I'm sorry Jace, but I am much more accomplished at runes then you are." She said as she gazed into Clary's glazed eye, Isabelle was holding it open, the moment Jocelyn stepped back from her daughter she let her eyes close and stepped away as well. Only Jace kept right by her, squeezing her hand in his. Luke was reminded of himself when Jocelyn had been in her potion induced coma. "Luke?" Jace said coldly, so coldly that he startled a bit, he looked Jace in the eye. "Who is it you told you to give that thing to her?" he asked.

Luke didn't falter, "The Consul." He said plainly, standing in unison with Jace who came around to the other side of the room and stood by the door, waiting for Luke who had pushed Jocelyn back into a nearby chair. Jace had told Isabelle to stay as well. "You two need to keep an eye on her." Luke said as he left the room with Jace. They stormed out of the house and out to the square. The council was mingling with the crowd there; Luke however led the way straight back into the Council Chamber.

"Who is the new Consul?" Jace asked as they entered, he looked about at the few people who were flecked about the hall. A man on the bench to the right stood up from his conversation and came over to Jace. He was Jace's height, and wore the basic gear, his build was that of your usual Shadowhunter, and Jace noted that he didn't have a scar on his hand where the Alliance rune had been. A small number of the Clave had refused to take part in it and had instead rode into battle without the powers of the downworlders, and as no other Mark was meant to be placed there the hands of those who had objected remained clean. The man's face was stern, and contorted with dislike as he looked at Jace.

"That would be me Mr. Wayland, Consul Amberest, and I must ask why you have decided to come here and storm the Clave?" the Consul said with a slight agitation in his voice. Jace just stood there, breathing heavily and clenching his fists. "I asked you why you-"

The Consul never finished his statement as Jace lifted the man bodily from the ground. He had hoisted him by his throat, gripping it tightly and lifting him with one arm, his eyes bright gold and furious. "Why did you send that stele to Clary?" he demanded, even as a few of the other Shadowhunters got up, one of them reached for a seraph bade at his belt and coming toward Jace, who shot him a look and hissed at him, "You're welcome to_ die _trying." The man backed away and Jace turned back to the man in his hand, who had stopped struggling but simply resigned to hang there.

"I assume then that it reacted strangely?" he asked with a slight look of amusement.

"Yes." Luke said stepping forward and placing a hand on Jace's arm, he slowly lowered the man back to his feet, but kept hold of hid gear neckline. "What happened to her? What did you do?"

"Do not worry, she will wake up soon assuming someone applied the proper Mark to her swiftly," He added the second statement slightly under his breath, "I assume her mother was there to apply said Mark." He added with a glance to Luke, his voice was level however; it was not a question, but a statement. "I do hope you didn't break the stele Mr. Wayland, after all it is a priceless artifact from the City of Stone and I believe they would be rather agitated if you have damaged their treasure." He said, staring Jace down with his sea green eyes imposable to read.

"You think this is funny?" Jace growled as he twisted his hand tightening his grip, his eyes still slightly shining.

"Oh no, I think it is enlightening." Amberest said with a shrug, "To think that power she has is only the tip of the ice berg, and now I hope my theory will be proven correct." He said. Jace gritted his teeth, unable to speak through his fury.

"And what is your theory Consul?" Luke asked, still looking at Jace rather than the Consul.

"That after this ordeal is over for her she shall be able to use the stele, which is the only requirement from the City of Stone; we shall soon see I hope." He said grinning at Jace.

Jace's anger broke, the fury let loose caused his eyes to glow like seraph blades in the dark room. His golden iris casting their light on the Consul, his other hand came up and cocked beside his head, his fist rolling tight and preparing for the most satisfying strike he could possibly imagine. Luke was terrified of what his strength might do to the Consul, and swiftly moved to grab his arm, but wasn't swift enough. Jace punched, his fist crashing into the jaw of the man before him. He releases his gear shirt and the man tumbled to the ground. Luke exhaled; realizing that at the last moment Jace had regained control and had struck the Consul with minimal force, well, at least not angelic force. Jace was breathing hard, and a few men were rushing forward, Seraph blades drawn and killing looks on their faces. However a chuckle from the ground brought them all to a stop.

"I suppose I truly did deserve that, and what's more," The Consul sat up, brushing the blood that dripped from his mouth away. Jace was amazed the man didn't have a broken jaw, "I learned you have some deal of control over your abilities." He slowly stood and looked Jace in the eye. "I suppose I should apologize, but should you really be here assaulting me? After all, your love should soon be awake, and I'd think she would be slightly agitated by your absence." He said matter-of-factly however the moment he had said she would be awake soon Jace had gone, running as fast as he could toward the house. Luke looked at Amberest.

"This isn't over; you'll be answering to the Council for this one Erath." He walked away; closing the door he instantly began shifting into wolf form and sprinted at first on two legs, then one four toward the house after Jace.

Clary was floating in a white space, the expanse of which was familiar to her. Slowly she became aware of more; one that she was nude, two that she was not floating but lying on a soft substance, and third that she was not alone.

She sat up, looking over her shoulder to the being standing in the corner; it was nothing more than a silhouette of golden light. Slowly the being formed into a familiar person, before long Jace stood where to golden light had been moments before. She smiled and stood, but as she began to walk toward him a shadow in the other corner caught her eye. She glanced and felt fear as a cloud of pure darkness slowly condensed in the corner into a shape like a man. As the face took on color and the blonde hair grew out she recognizes the face. "Jonathan!" she said loudly toward the face she saw. If it wasn't for the hair she would have called him Sebastian, but now it was clear to here where this was going. Jace drew a long seraph blade, and Jonathan smirked, his entire arm slowly disfiguring into a large blade (think like that game Prototype, which I also do not own) Jace started forward at a slow walk, slowly increasing speed, Jonathan did the same. Clary backed away, staring at Jace as a single angles wing sprung from his back, white and brilliantly lighted. Jonathan sprouted a bat like scaled wing that propelled him forward with an evil grin. As the two game together a blinding light grew forth and cause her to shield her eyes.

Clary slowly blinked and looked about, she was now in full Gear, standing at the base of a massive rune covered stone pillar that shot upward into the shadow of darkness that surrounded her. She raised the witch-light stone that had fallen beside her and tried to make it cast its light upward and to the ceiling. However the moment she raised the stone she was being blown against by a massive gust of wind. The pillar swept away and as she left the darkness and into the sunlight she barely made out the shape of three massive structures that where rushing from her. Slowing down she came to an abrupt stop outside the city of Alicante, she could see the north gate in the distance, below a group of four men in strange white gear and silver armor from their shoulders down walked toward the North gate, she floated in the air a god thirty feet above them, moving along until they came toward the gate, here another man in the same gear but with armor only to his forearm from his shoulder. She was suddenly disorientated, rushing through the city streets until she burst through the door of the house Jace had rented. She flew up the stairs and came to rest in the doorway where Jace and Luke had just clearly returned through. She covered herself with her hands, suddenly feeling shameful. However then she caught a look at the form lying in the bed. It was her, and it was at that point that she fell, As though the earth had vanished, she continued to fall in a white surrounding a single gleam of light above her pulse and a familiar yet alien voice rang in her ears, _It has not ended._ She landed suddenly in a familiar surroundings, she had sat up suddenly, everyone in the room exhaling a held breath after she glanced about. She saw Isabelle, gasping for air as she was apparently startled by Clary's sudden awakening. Jocelyn was tearing up and Jace and Luke just looked like they were both relieved and also anger.

"Clary!" Jocelyn jumped forward hugging her, but she kept her eyes on Luke and Jace. This was apparently caught by Luke.

"What happened Clary?" Luke asked over Jocelyn's sobs of relief.

"I saw you Jace, you and Jonathan," She said simply, "you _flew _at each other, literally with wings, well a wing each and then." She paused to allow the look of surprise to fade, Jace nodded for her to continue. "There was this pillar, a stone pillar that was covered in runes; it was in some large structure. Then I was floating above the north gate, and a group of men were arriving, men in white with silver arms and-" At that moment Alec burst into the room breathing heavily.

"Luke, the council is meeting," he said in between gasps, "we have some new visitors you should know about."

"Who?" Jace said, stepping away from the wall that he was leaning on, bringing his arms down to his sides from the previously crossed position.

"It's the Guardian Court." Alec answered; Jocelyn sighed and looked down cast, Isabelle cursed under her breath. Jace looked the same but his eyes flashed with anger, Luke however just ran his fingers through his messy hair.

"It's about damn time." Jace said and turned leaving the room. Luke and Alec followed, but Clary remained seated. Isabelle looked from the door to the others.

"Clary?" Jocelyn asked as Isabelle left the room as well. Clary just stared out the window, knowing that her mother would want her to rest, and at the same time feeling rebellious as it was her mother's fault she had no clue what most of the visions meant.

"I'm going too. I need to know what this means." She said plainly, tossing the blankets from the bed she made for the door, but her mother's hand grasped her arm. "Please don't try and stop me mom." Clary sounded tired, rather than angry.

"Take this Clary." She said, pressing the stele into her palm, she almost felt like she should drop it. This thing had put her in a small coma, and yet it felt familiar in her fingers, like the first seraph blade she had held. More than that it pulsed every few seconds, like a tiny heart beat that was slowly increasing, as though the tool was coming back to life. "Now go, I'll catch up soon; I just have to grab something from the house." Clary hugged her mother, the stele still in her hand; its heart beat now halfway back to a normal human rate. Clary left the house at a run, kicking off her shoes and picking them up, then running toward the square where the music had stopped playing, and where her friends were waiting at the edge of the crowd.

**Hope you enjoy this chapter, more to come, so please read and review!**


	3. Chapter 3: Icons, Anchors, and Eyes

"Simon, are you ok?" Maia shook the Daylighter with a worried expression. No sooner had they embraced then he had gone blank. His eyes were glazed and his face showed fear, trembling hands held her forearms tightly. His grip was like a vice and she could already feel her arms begin bruising. She felt her bones strain under the force as his face remained blank. "Simon!" She cried as she struggled to free herself from his grip. She gasped in pain and felt her right arm fracture from his hands.

"Maia?" Simon said in a dreary voice as he released her arms, she fell against him, gasping and clutching her arms He was faint and fell back against the wall behind him. She leaned into him, he made to wrap his arms around her, to comfort her, and as his arms encircled her she flinched and whimpered, leaning off of him as though he was on fire. "Maia, I'm sorry, I blacked out and then."

"No I'm sorry," she said, leaning into him and allowing his arms to encircle her and comfort her, "I should have known you wouldn't hurt me on purpose." She was secretly terrified he might start crushing her just before his arms touched her, however the moment he touched her bare skin she felt his soft and smooth skin. There was no warmth radiating from him, and she shivered against the chill of the night air.

"Are you cold?" Simon asked stupidly, she shivered and nestled her head into the crook of his neck and hugged him close trying to draw heat from his body even thought she knew that was impossible. He let go of her and pulled the leather gear coat off of his shoulders, he had gotten it from a man he had met in battle, He draped it across her shoulders, she was still shaking, but her arms were visibly better as the bruising had been repaired and she was more freely moving it."I'm so sorry I hurt you, even after you said you trusted me." He whispered into her ear as she rested up against him while they walked away toward the gate.

"You didn't break my trust Simon, I thought you might bite me," she said, "If anything I'm just happy that you did what you did, because it means you could stop yourself." She stumbled when they neared the North Gate. Simon looked at her and turned her to face him.

"Are you ok? You seem tired." He reasoned, as she continued to lean heavily on him, her hand placed on his chest as she could barely stand. "Maybe you should just stay here in the city tonight, with me." He said, she looked at him meaningfully and smiled, nodding once they turned, however she took a few steps and stumbled again.

"I'm sorry, just lets rest from a moment, healing took a bit out of me." She explained; resting completely in the cradle of his arms.

"I have a better idea," he said smiling as he scooped her legs from under her and cradled her in his arms, "since I'm the one who tired you out, I'll just have to carry you back." She kissed his cheek as he started down the road, heading for the abandoned house he had taken to living in with the same guy from the battle he had gotten the gear from. He wasn't sure why he had decided to bunk with the guy, but since he was away from the other's and didn't have to worry about asking for permission to let Maia crash there he figured that it was better not to question at this point. _Don't look a gift horse in the mouth_, he thought as he felt Maia snuggle her head into the crook of his shoulder, he could tell she was asleep already, her breathing had slowed and her heart beat was relaxed. Me smiled at the happy look on her face, clearly either having a good dream or just frozen from the moment he had picked her up with a smile. He turned the corner and noticed his roommate walking the opposite way. He was in his weird gear, it was white, and had silver armor over the arms. Simon had asked him why it was different from the other gear but he had just said it was part of his unit's curse, whatever that meant. "Oh hey, where you off to?" he said as they reached each other, he didn't want to shout at him from a distance in fear of waking Maia up, _let sleeping dogs lie._ He scolded himself internally for thinking that thought, considering he knew what it was like to be abnormal.

"I have some business with some associates at the North Gate, I assume you would like the house empty tonight?" he added with a smirk and looking from Maia to Simon. "It doesn't matter, as I will most likely be gone till midday tomorrow."

"Uh oh um… this is uh…," Simon said chuckling, "No it's not like that, we are just, well we uh… we aren't to _that_ yet so um."

"I understand," he said and walked past Simon, "just try not to mess the place up to much."

"Whatever," Simon chuckled as they walked away from one another, "If you see Clary tell her I'll see her tomorrow at the square."

The crowd was parted like the red sea. Clary had just arrived at the edge when she saw Jace and the others disappear into the Council Chambers, after which the crowd began to move together again whispering amongst themselves. Clary, however, ignored this and simple pushed her way through to the steps and headed up for the Council Chambers; slipping in the moment before the doors closed. She looked bout the dark hall, first spotting Jace marching straight down the center with Luke, and then she spotted Isabelle heading to a man on the right side. She recognized Alec and turned to follow Isabelle to his side, she also noted that everyone was gazing intently at the back of the hall where five shadows stood. She saw glints of light dance on silver, and Saw Jace's eyes glint gold in the darkness.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, and by the reaction of the crowd everyone in the hall had wanted to ask the same thing, but not many had the sheer confidence that Jace has enjoyed his whole live. One of the figures stepped into the witch-light of the room. He was an elderly man, his hair white and streaked with grey. It was cut short and combed back, his face was lined and his grey beard was cut shot as his eyes where odd Clary had to take a moment to look closer. Slowly she realized that the old man's eyes were strange because they were white, only white, no pupil or iris. She stifled a gasp and swallowed, she could see a black circle in the eyes, but even from her could tell by the strange juts and scoops what it was, a mark _on _his eye. Both eyes actually. Clary grabbed Alec's arm and pulled his ear down to her level. "Who are they?" she hissed, hoping it wouldn't echo in the room. Unfortunately it did a bit, but no one seemed to care, even Alec just looked at her, placed a finger over his mouth, and looked back at the men in the back of the hall.

"We are here to retrieve our icon," the old man's voice was deeper than any she had heard, surely the Consul informed you we would be arriving to retrieve it." Clary heard the crowd break out in murmurs and saw a man on the other side look at the crowd, his eyes narrow and his hand on the hilt of a blade. She noticed everyone else was looking at him with angry eyes, though he just smirked at them all. She hated to admit but that look on his face reminded her heavily of Jace's back when she had first met him.

"I don't give a damn about your icon; I'm asking why it is now half a week after the greatest threat the Clave has ever faced attacked us and you're just now showing up!" Jace snapped, the crowd looked back at him and almost in unison nodded approvingly. "Why is it that the Guardian Court is always late to the party?" Jace asked angrily, three of the four shadows at the back of the room moved forward in unison, but instantly stopped as the old man's hand shot up to block their path.

"You know full well what we were doing, Jonathan Wayland," she said, and made to continue, "we-"

"His name is Jace Lightwood, Lord Graven." Clary looked about for the source of the female voice that had spoken out loud over the old man. She looked above her to see Maryse Lightwood standing and glaring down at the old man, Alec gripped Clary's shoulder and she noted a large grin cross both his and Isabelle's face. Maryse stepped to the floor and headed toward the so-called Guardian Court, "I am sure, as well, that everyone in this room is well aware of your excuse." She added. Clary had to fight the urge to raise her hand and ask them to explain regardless, though Alec just grasps her shoulder harder.

"We must maintain our position in times of danger, as you have said, that is our primary order. If the Wards were to go unprotected while Valentine could easily summon a unit of greater demons to attack the Anchors it would mean the end of much more than Alicante." The old man's deep voice was steady and calm, as though he was speaking with a student on a tantrum, carrying through the entire hall. "I wonder, did the other Cursed Ones show?" he asked, "Did they forsaken the order given them and left the other Anchors unprotected?" he asked with a look around at the crowd, which seemed to shrink before his gaze, only leaving Alec Isabelle and Clary still sitting tall as his eyes fell upon them.

"I believe your point has been made Lord Graven, I assure you that Gabriel's Stele will be returned to you as soon as-" the man who had been gazed at with contempt by the Council said, but the voice that cut across him was familiar and somewhat terrifying to hear.

"No, you _won't_be getting the stele back." Clary along with the rest of the council looked to the doors, which had opened to show the outline of a woman with fire red hair storming into the room. She looked at Clary and then stopped in front of her, however before Clary could acknowledge her she turned on her heels and faced the man who had spoken out. "Your little experiment with my daughter was a success, Consul Amberest; it seems Gabriel's Quill has chosen its next master." Jocelyn looked to the old man, her gaze furious. "I will tell you now Joshua, you will not take her. Not by force." Jocelyn didn't stop to wait for the man's reply; she moved and drew two seraph blades from her belt, each flaring into life. The three shadows that had previously moved toward Jace now advanced again, each producing a short bladed seraph blade. However Jace and Luke stood between them and Jocelyn. The three shadows come into the light; they each wore the white gear like the old man with the silver armor covering their arms from shoulder down. Their faces were covered by intricate silver helmets, each had one eye visible though theirs still had pupils, but they had replaced their iris with small Marks. Jace and Luke stood fast as the three advances. However the forth shadow moved quicker, pulling the old man back into the shadows as the three took his place.

"I must protest Lord Graven, the law is clear, if what she says is true then Ms. Morgenstern must come by her free will, and not by ours'." He still had a hand grasping the old man, and as the shadow's arm dropped from what she could tell allowing the old man stepped forth.

"You assume then that this woman tells the truth, boy?" he pointed at Jocelyn and chuckled, "You have much to learn before you take your place that blood provides you, boy." He spoke with a slight hint of contempt.

"Be that as it may, I still must suggest that you and your bodyguards leave this city immediately and let me handle the retrieval of the artifact." The shadows voice was soft, and somehow commanding toward this man who she had assumed to be the leader.

"Leave this matter to the attention of a child? This is absurd even for you to suggest Captain." He spat back into the darkness where the shadow took a step forward, she noted that his lower legs were covering in the same silver armor as the others arms where yet he alone wore leggings, but as his torso came into view leaving his head in shadow his arms only had armor to the mid forearm.

"I will not ask you again, Lord Graven, next it will be an order." The man's voice was still calm, and by now she caught Jace's eye as he glance back at her. He was not happy, but seemed less agitated with this man then the old one. She turned to look at her mother, who had an odd twinkle in her eye as she gazed at the newly half-revealed person. Was it respect?

"You presume to order me?" the old man's voice was cold, and he turned about, his hand moving like a flash as she struck the shadow across the face, a slap? That was the sound, but she found it odd for him to slap the man.

Simon continued on a few more blocks then turned and walked down to the next street, turning left and heading to the door of the third house. He shook Maia a bit. "Maia, you have to wake up long enough to get into the house ok." He said in her ear, she whimpered and nodded, barely opening her eyes. He set her down, still allowing her to lean into him; then took out his keys, opened the door, and led her into the house, shutting and locking the door behind them. "Here we are home-." he stopped and lunged forward, catching her as she dozed on her feet and began to fall. He scooped her up and she giggled

"I'm sorry about that; I think I'm a bit more tired than I thought." She said, brushing her hair out of her face. Simon just helped her up the stairs and led her into the first bedroom on the right.

"Well ,here we are, the bathroom is right through that door and I'll be just down stairs if you need anything so," He clasp his hands together and coughed, "yeah."

"Where are you going to sleep?" she asked as she laid across the bed, Simon had to tear his gaze off of her, looking at him as he look out the window.

"I'll just be on the couch, vampires don't really need sleep, we sleep out of nostalgia more than

." He said still looking out at the night sky, it was a beautiful mixture of colors as an apparent nebula was visible from the city and nowhere else, he had assumed that had something to do with the wards around the city.

"Or," she said drawing it out as she flipped the blankets open and looked at him with tired but loving eyes, "you could join me, you don't have to sleep on the couch!"

Simon sighed, "Where have I heard that before?" he asked himself, but as Maia looked at him he began to break.

"I'm not going to sleep knowing you could be uncomfortable on my account." She said staring him down.

"But I'm the reason your even tired not to mention have a slightly fractured arm to heal, and I know even you don't heal that fast." Simon said, still cracking under her stare; _and I heal faster than you, but damn if you don't have the power to break my will with your eyes alone._

"Simon." She said in a slightly pleading chuckle, he caved at that and walked over, slowly lying next to her. She rolled over so his front was pressed against her back. She pushed herself into him and he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Thank you for everything Simon. Good night." She said, he smiled and was about to speak when he noticed she had already fallen asleep.

"Night beautiful." He whispered in her sleeping ear and kissed her neck lightly, then laid his head down and rested, since vampires don't actually sleep so much as rest. She smiled in her sleep and cuddled into him more as she snoozed, soon falling fully into her dreams of the tall pale and dark hair boy who had carried her through the city streets.

The sound of the strike echoed throughout the chamber. And even in the shadows Clary could see it had spun the person's head to the side. However the shape just straightened and she could hear something mumbled in a foreign tongue. For some reason the entire hall shuttered as this dark voice spoke, both deep and light at once with musical like qualities. It was a song that chilled Clary to the bone. The old man stiffened and his three followers' eyes were suddenly wide. From the looks around Clary took that no other person in the hall had understood what was said save for the newcomers. "What did u say, boy?" the Old man's voice was deep still, but had a tremble in it not heard before as he spoke to the shadow.

"I am sure you understood me, the Higherarch has left you very specific instructions, and I suggest you follow them. That means following my orders while you are in this city." the shadow spoke normally again, and as she thought on it she wasn't sure he had been the one to speak that dark language in the first place. Clary noted Maryse moving forward to stand beside Luke, her hand resting on the hilt of a blade at her side. "I say one final time; please leave this city, and the icon, to me." He repeated. The old man seemed deep in thought. But after a moment he at last nodded, and turned up the hall, his guards placing the seraph blades at their belts, but forming a protective ring around the old man as he made his way out. However he stopped at the door, turning slowly to look back at the man in the shadow.

"Very well, you shall be trusted with Gabriel's Stele, but the other icon will return with us." He said, holding a hand out to the man in the shadow. He moved his hand and flipped it over, as though using a yo-yo. And for a moment she saw a light glimmer behind the man, but as it dimmer she noted a furious look on the old man's face, he made the movement again and the glimmer reignited, only to die out moment later.

"It seems _It_has made a decision, I believe you were leaving Lord Graven." He said again, not moving an inch, the old man's face dropped and he growled. His hand reached into his gear and Clary expected him to attack the man, but as he gazed at him Jace stepped forward, between them.

"I think you should do as your friend says." He said simply, his uncanny way of holding himself made even Clary feel slightly intimidated by him, even though she knew him like she did. The old man lowered his hand, then turned and left through the recently reopened doors. Then Jace turned, looking at the man in the shadow. "I also suggest that _you _be kept under close watch." Jace added, looking to the Council.

"You're not of age or rank to make such a suggestion Mr. Wayland." The man who had been identified as the new Consul stood up.

"No but I am. And I say the same." Maryse said strongly. Luke nodded.

"I second, and I suggest that he be kept under the watchful eye of the Lightwoods, after all you are best suited, since you will all most likely be around Clary." He said, the council stood, only a few remaining seated, Isabelle had made Clary sit, telling her they were taking the vote, not standing to leave.

"It is decided then?" the man asked, as Maryse nodded, at which the man faded back into the shadows as if waiting for something. Clary never saw his face. As the Council filed out she headed to Jace and the others, meeting her mother along the way. Alec and Isabelle split off to watch the doorway so as the next conversation would be among family and friends.

"So, that thing really was?" Jace asked Luke

"Yes." He replied

"I don't like this, or _Him_." Jocelyn added.

"What does that-"Clary tried to ask a question but Maryse cut her off.

"They have some balls pulling this."

"Could someone just um-"Clary tried again and failed, coughing a bit.

"As do you, with that 'Jace Lightwood' statement." Luke chuckled.

"What, are you just going to let them do this?" Jocelyn asked, Luke sighed.

"Mom what are- urg-" Clary raised one hand, but remained unseen apparently.

"Jocelyn, you know full well that my hands are tied here." Luke said with an apologetic glance to his love. Clary had had enough however.

"HEY!" she shouted, everyone turning to her.

"Will one of you _please_ tell me what all this is about?" she said in a very much agitated tone.

Jocelyn sighed. "I think I deserve to know."

"Your right, you do." Jace said and they all turned to her.

**There you have it! Another chapter down, and so much more to go, and I hope to have it out ASAP. However school is back up so don't expect me to have quite a much for you quite as quickly. Otherwise, please review if you liked, or if you didn't and tell me how to make it better, until then good reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: Not Most Guys

**This chapter contains a sex scene, if you don't like don't read, and please do not read if you shouldn't (underage). Skip the third section and you can read the other parts without missing anything important and just the smut. Thanks and enjoy. Also, strong language used.**

"Simon." He stirred, not really sleeping, but still his eyes did not want to open. "Simon." The voice came again. His eyes cracking open, he saw that it was still dark, and thinking about time he felt it must have only been a few hours since he had felt Maia fall asleep next to him. "Simon." One more time the voice was soft and familiar, slowly the shadow before his dreary eyes lowered and he felt a pair of very familiar and pleasant lips touch his. He smiled at the kiss, his eyes clearing.

"Well, hello there." He shifted beneath her as she was leaning over him from the side, now placing himself level with her. "You sleep well?" he asked, looking out the window quickly then back into her eyes. Ever since he had become a vampire he had been able to guess general time by just glancing at the light outside, and he estimated around 1 in the morning right now.

Maia giggled and brought her lips to him again, closing her eyes and answering him only just before she kissed him again, "Hmm, yeah, thanks to you." they laid together for quite some time, his hands slowly sliding down to her waist. She slipped her leg over and lay atop him, her hands exploring him. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of bliss she broke apart of him, breathing in heavily. "You vampires and not having to breathe, it's such an unfair advantage." She breathed; he smiled, sitting up as she sat straddling him. He brushed a strand of hair from her face. His thumb gentle caressing her cheek, she placed a hand over his and smiled at him.

"You know, I had a few regrets about becoming a vampire at first. But now." She leaned down, bringing her head level with his, she kissed his chin and he cradled her close, kissing her forehead lightly as she lay down and snuggled into him. "Now I'm nothing but glad for it, because without it, I might never have met you."

"Simon," she said sounding confused, "I met you before that, back at the bar remember?"

"Yeah I do, but honestly, did you really take notice of me back then?"

Maia looked at him for a long moment, and then kissed him for longer. "Yes, I did notice you, if anything your turning into a vampire nearly broke us further apart." She said, a look of sadness crossing her face.

"I don't blame you for how you reacted, and that brings me to being more thankful." He said and then looked into her eyes. "Had I not been turned, Valentine might have killed you first on the ship. I would never have been there, and so he would have probably chosen at random, but he knew I was Clary's good friend and he hated that so he took me first. I was able to survive," he swallowed, kissing her head and rubbing her back, "you wouldn't have been able to come back like I did. For that I am very thankful."

Maia didn't reply, she just kissed him passionately, straddling him again. He noted that she was suddenly very aggressive. She suddenly sat up crossing her arms and reaching to her waist line, grasping the hem of her shirt. "This damn thing has gotten in the way enough." She said seductively, Simon raised a brow.

"Um Maia, you sure?" he said, but she put a finger to his lips to hush him, then grasp her shirt again and pulled it over her head and tossed it to the side in a fluid motion.

"Your turn."

***

"Well?" Clary asked impatiently, as no one had spoken yet, they all seemed too uncomfortable and Jace was to busy standing behind her and rubbing her shoulders to relax her to apparently talk.

"Clary, you have to understand that this is not something we are comfortable talking about, it's a massive taboo in our world." Luke began.

"Well, I wasn't raised in your world, so your taboos aren't very important to me unless they explain why _this_," she held up the strange stele and tilted her head, "Made me have visions and hear some strange voice. So." She looked about.

"Since all of you are so tongue tied, I suppose I shall have to inform the young lady of the situation." The voice made the circle part, a figure nearly forgotten moving forward into the full light. He was Jace's height, maybe an inch or two taller. His skin was tanned, as though he spent most of the day in sunlight, and his hair was a dirty blonde, cut short in a military like high-and-tight. His face was surprisingly soft, and his hazel eyes were somewhat reassuring to her. His face was a very handsome, not to sharply cut but in no way rounded in an odd way.

"Well, I guess um sure that'll work" Clary stammered.

"That item you hold is the stele used but Jonathan Shadowhunter to create the first Seraph Blades, and the first Marks to be used against demons by our people." He said, "It also, regrettably, is the first stele to have given rise to the forsaken, or to have used a forbidden Mark." His voice was darker, then lightened, "Yes, it is the first Stele and will always be the most powerful, when the Court learned of your power to create new runes, they sent me with that icon to see if you would be any use to us." He said plainly. Clary didn't like that tone.

"So, I'm just a tool to you?" She asked suddenly.

"To me, no. To the greater purpose, yes." He said with a thoughtful look, "The court is always focusing on keeping the Anchors operational, it's the job we were charge by Jonathan so long ago." As I was saying, I traveled here with the stele and gave it to your consul. Who gave it to you and hid its true identity from the others by a strong glamour. You see, every Shadowhunter should be able to tell that stele at a glance from another, but he made it look to them like any other stele, but shiny and new. So i was sent her to retrieve it and return the Icon to our home." He shrugged. But Jace noted something. _He is lying but about what? _Jace thought.

"And that's it?" Clary asked.

"No, but the rest can wait. The longer I take to tell you everything, the longer you will be able to go without choosing your path." He said, he then exited passing by them and walking out of the hall; his gear had a long trench coat like tail that flowed behind him as he exited, his arms glimmering silver from the armor, and his feet sounding with the silver armor that encased his legs.

"Well, that was pointless; I could have guessed most of what he told me. Will someone tell me who he is?"

"_He _is a member of the special unit within the Clave known as the Guardian Court, one of the five Cursed Ones." Maryse said, looking toward the door, She then looked back at Clary who was staring to the door with a glazed expression. "You have met other Cursed Ones before."

"I have?" Clary looked flabbergasted (I never thought I would ever find a place to use that word!)

"Yes, the Silent Brothers, all of the Cursed Ones are disliked by the main Clave for their use of horrid or forbidden Marks." Luke continued for Maryse.

"They break our greatest Taboos, all in the name of protecting the Anchors." Jace added

"The what?" Clary looked at Jace and the others

"Actually, we don't know much about those ourselves, but I do know they keep the wards that cover the planet from fading. I don't know where they are located or what they look like."Jocelyn said, looking about the others nodded, indicating they knew just the same and no more.

"Ok, so…where do we fit into all of this?" Clary leaned into Jace, how laid a reassuring kiss on the top of her head, still rubbing her shoulders.

"I don't know, but I know they want you to go with them to the City of stone for something. Maybe we can get some information out of the one who stayed." Luke suggested to Maryse whose face became suddenly stern and agitated.

"You mean the one that you had the Council vote be kept by us?" she said her voice clearly displeased.

"You know why I did that Maryse, with him right under your nose-"Luke said but Jace cut across him.

"Don't pretend, you said that because you know full well that we are the best suited to keeping an eye on him." Jace said with a slight smile, he wasn't angry; he just seemed annoyed that Luke was trying to justify it.

"Yes, your right Jace but more then that I figured that the best person to keep a watch on him would of course be." Luke looked at Jace

"Me. I agree with you there, if he is going to be around Clary I want to be there too." Jace moved his hand sliding them to her elbows as he said this, then looked back out the window.

"It's Late, we should go." Isabelle said, Jace nodded and he and Clary made to leave. Luke, Jocelyn, Maryse, and even Alec remained talking amongst themselves. and she picked up a momentary bit from Luke and her mother.

"You saw what he had on his belt didnt you?" Jocelyn asked.

"Yes, but considering that we never found _him_ i personally feel better having _that_ in the city, and i'm being blaitantly honest there." Luke said to her, she seemed sadened, relieved, and concerened all at once.

***

"Simon you either take this shirt off yourself or I'll take it off you." she pointed at him smiling in what Simon thought might very well be the sexiest look he had ever seen, and due to this he remained frozen. "Have it you way then." She said and moved her finger to the top of his shirt. She dragged it down and he felt the sting of her wolf claws extend and cut through the material as well as the first few layers of skin. He felt a slight drop of blood run as she tore his shirt from him. "Oops, sorry about that." She said without sincerity as she leaned down to kiss him. He felt his skin heal almost instantly and then felt her soft skin press against him. Her firm chest still covered in the remaining barriers of cloth between them. He felt her kiss before his brain processed what he was doing, and with that he felt himself begin to lose all self-control. He had to make one last attempt to regain his sense.

"Maia," he said between their kisses, "this isn't…" his voice trailed off as he felt her lips press into his. Her hand grabbing his and bring it up to rest on her breast.

Simon moved his hand up and to her shoulder, gripping both with his hands he held her at arm's length. "Maia. Don't fall into this, get a hold of yourself and think before you do anything else." Simon wasn't at all inclined to continue this. He recognized that look in her eyes. He had seen it before not long ago. Maia wasn't thinking clearly, her eyes clouded with lust and her body loose from exhaustion. That same look was plastered all over Isabelle the night he had come to console her. The blank desire and lust was apparent in her hungry face, and now the dark cloud of desire that had caused her rash action began to clear. She was coming off of her pain and fear induced euphoria that had he pawing at Simon for intimacy.

"Simon, I." she couldn't speak, tears began to shine in her eyes and Simon broke his thought to stare into her eyes. She was allowing her tears to fall, running like light over a frozen lake down her cheek. Simon held his hands stead on her now shuttering shoulders and she began to cry. This was not what he had expected. This was what had happened between him and Isabelle, an almost exact copy of that time; down to how they were positioned to the way she shuttered and heaved with her sobs. He raised a hand to her face, and brushed a tear away, just like he ad back then with her.

_These aren't tears of sadness or joy. _Simon thought as he looked at the drop on his thumb. _These tears, they are just like Isabelle's, tears of guilt._ "Maia, what happened?" Simon asked, to her apparent surprise. He knew why she was surprised thought. He had said 'what happened,' and not 'are you ok?' or maybe even 'It's alright, we didn't do anything.'

She had expected him to be clueless as to her sufferings, had expected him to distract her from her grief. Her guilt, "Simon, I should have stopped it." She sniffed, her sunken figure slipping back to rest atop him again. He sat up as she folded over to the side, pulling her legs up to her chest and resting her head on her knees. He looked at her as her tears continued to fall slowly. She sniffled and he moved himself to lean against the wall next to her. the window to his left let a cool breeze flow in as he lay his legs across the bed, she was still baled up, but as he put his arm over her she leaned into him and let her legs slip out and slide to lay on the bed as well. His feet and mid shin hung over the side while hers were a few inches from reaching the side of the wide mattress , she laughed at the thought of it in a horse chuckle and then turned to burrow her head into his shoulder.

"It's ok, you can tell me. What happened?" he said gentle rubbing her head. He reached over and drew the blanket across their legs, as well as grasping her shirt that had lain discarded on the edge of the bed.

She choked and sniffled as she cried from a moment more. "It was a group of children." She spoke softly, her voice breaking on the last word as he continued to hold her. "They had somehow gotten into the battle with the demons, they were shouting for their mom, looking through the field." She spoke quickly, and he could tell by how she had tensed up; her face showed pain, fear, and anger.

"I saw them, a dark shadow head at them, and I lunged. I sank my teeth into it. I killed that damn demon." She said somewhat with pride in her voice. "But then, I saw Luke, and he was fighting three of them, and I turned from the children and sprinted toward him. But." She stopped and broke into another round of sobs. Slowly he allowed her to come down from her tears.

"I ran to Luke, and by the time I was halfway there, he… he had killed all three of the demons." She said with a smile slightly, a smile full of her joy that Luke was alive and strong, and pain at something he couldn't identify. "Of course he had killed them, Luke is so strong. He is the only one of us who can resist changing at the full moon you know. I've seen him change in an instant, faster than any other werewolf, and he has his training as a Shadowhunter. He is just so strong." Her voice cracked again, and Simon held her close, but was completely confused. Why was she so grieved if Luke was fine?

"Maia, Luke is ok, you don't have to worry." Simon said, but she gripped him hard, her claw extending to dig deep into his skin so he winced.

"Don't you think I know that now!?" she spat, her face still burrowed in his shoulder so her voice was muffle, but her sob quickly drove the pain of her claws and her shouting at him from his mind. "I left them, Simon, those kids! They were only children, four little kids! And if I had had more faith in Luke I would've known he would kill those demons, he would kill hundreds of demons!" she cried, between her sobs she hugged him tighter. "But because I didn't believe in him I left those kids alone, and when I turned back, they were-they were." She stopped and Simon knew what she had seen, as he had seen it as well. He had come across a horrid sight about halfway through the battle, the corpses of four young children, torn apart and scattered, the man he now roomed with was there with him and said it was the work of Ravanger Demons. "I let those kids die Simon, because I didn't believe in Luke those kids died." She whispered at the end and laid her head on his chest, her body shook, but he knew by the dry feeling in his shirt that she was out of tears.

"Maia, I see how you can think that was your fault." Simon said coolly, marveling in how close this had been to his talk with Isabelle. Maia looked up at him hurt but believing. She thought he was right and that he was confirming her fears. "But you'd be wrong. That wasn't your fault, if there is one thing I learned since I became a vampire." He lifted her face to look into his eyes. "If there is one thing I know for a fact, that I believe completely." He wiped her dry tear streaks from her face with his thumbs, and brushed a small tear from her left eye that he hadn't noticed till the last moment. "It's that everything happens for a reason, and if you let the past haunt you, you won't have a future." He said wisely. "It wasn't your fault. Fate is cruel but absolute. Trust me, as a person who got dealt one hell of a hand by it. I'd think you of all people would have known that."

Maia thought on his words for a moment. He was right, she had understood him. Her brother long ago had tormented her, had forced her to do thing. He had made her touch him a few times, but thankfully he died before he ever got the chance to rape her, but even then she still thought it was her fault for most of her youth. She had convinced herself that if she had been stronger, or more assertive, he would have stopped. That it had been her fault for not being able to stand up for herself she wouldn't have had to suffer. And with Jordan, he was just like Daniel, and she hated that he became so powerful and controlling over her. But she didn't stop him when she had the chance, and even now she hadn't gone after him to make him pay. She was weak then too, and even now her weakness had cost those kids' lives.

"I'm weak aren't I Simon?"

"No Maia." Simon said pointedly, and she became confused. "You're just strong enough to feel like your weak."

"Don't you go all Yoda on me now." She chuckled, she had no clue what he meant and yet understood him perfectly.

"I'll put it in basic English for those of you without a degree in Jedi." Simon brought her face close to his and stared deep into her eyes. "If feeling love for someone and wanting to protect them at all costs is weak, I don't want to be strong." He said. And he felt her lunge forward, kissing him.

He was right; she did love Luke he was like a father to her. _Guess I'm more like Clary then I thought_.She pulled back from him and layed her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat, not caring that the sound was probably just her own heart as he didn't have a heartbeat. "You know, not many guys could have passed up that chance to be wih me like you did." She said as she kissed him again.

He felt a twinge of pride_, I know and i've passed up this kind of thing twice now_ he thought. Even as he thought this he ignored it as Maia had broke the kiss. "You know I'm not exactly your normal guy." He said. His chest suddenly felt strange.

"Your right," She said, "You're the best guy I ever loved."

"Well, wasn't expecting that." Simon said, looking away, she however slapped his chest playfully. But her hand went back to his chest quickly, her eyes wide.

"Maia? Maia, I was just kidding." He said, bringing her face to his, but her eyes were still shocked looking and her hand remained where it had rested, "Maia, I love you too. Maia?"

"Simon, your heart!" she exclaimed, pulling back and grabbing his hand, placing it on his heart. He wanted to laugh at her absurd notion. His heart didn't beat. And yet as he pressed his hand to his heart he felt a strange sensation. His mind raced as he felt it again, soft against his palm. His heart was beating, pulsing lightly.

***

"What the Hell!" Isabelle shouted as they left the council chamber. The festival was still in full swing. "It's got to be around midnight at least!"

"Try 3 o'clock in the morning cause that's the actual time." Jace muttered to her. He had learned how to tell time by the positions of the moon and sun from his father. _No_ he thought_ Valentine, not my father._

"And they keep going!?" Isabelle sounded shocked and disgusted. "Even after _they_ show up and they threaten us and- and- URG!" she growled and threw her arms in the air in frustration, marching off down a nearby street. Clary had gotten the hang of this part of town and had a good general map of the area in her head. If they took this street and then turned left down roads up they could head for the Lightwood's place without having to walk through the crowded square and deal with the party goers.

"Never pegged you for one to want to avoid a party Isabelle." Clary chuckled

"Definitely not in the mood for any smart comments right now Clary" Isabelle shot back at her.

Clary went on the offensive at this, her own frustration coming to the surface. "Pardon me for being cheerful after we survived a plot to kill us all 16 years in the making from the most dangerous Shadowhunter ever and his horde of evil minions!" Clary shouted at Isabelle. "I still don't see what everyone dislikes about those silver armor guys anyway!" Clary spat, "Personally I'm more pissed at the damn Clave then at those people."

"Why are you mad at us?" a clearly hurt Alec asked.

"I don't know," Clary's voice dripped with sarcasm, "Maybe because you have no taste in political figures and leader!" She pointed toward the high tower of the temple. "Every time you elect a new Consul or whatever you manage to find the people you want to lock me and Jace and use us like lab rats!" she held up his own hand in front of his face, the scar of the Alliance mark on the back of his hand. "In case you didn't notice he was one of those prissy bastards who thought I was a slut and refused to work with the downworlders. Or as they called them 'those half demon pieces of shit.' If anyone was a bad choice it was that guy!" Clary turned to march away, but Alec caught her shoulder and turned her about.

"That's not fair! At least we picked a great Inquisitor this time!" he shouted at her. Jace grabbed his arm and made him release her.

"Oh really, who?" Clary asked pointedly moving Jace's arm from between her and Alec.

Alec's eyes narrowed, "My father."

"Oh," Clary's voice softened as she backed away a bit, "Ok, so maybe not always, but they still choose horrible Consuls. And I still don't get why you all hate these Guardian Court guys?" Clary looked to Jace, she knew they were creepy, and she didn't really like them either. But there was something about the one who had stayed. Maybe it was a look in his eye, of his face, but she liked him better than the others, and that was saying a lot. If she wasn't madly in love with Jace she might had flirted with him a bit. Isabelle walked in front this time; they took the turn in silence, Jace having told Clary it wasn't important. "Why do I get the feeling it is important you just don't want to tell me anymore of your precious Shadowhunter secrets." She spoke aloud, her inner thought coming out.

Isabelle walked in front of her and stopped, turning on her heel. "Look, Clary, it's just." Isabelle seemed to struggle, but then suddenly let go of the apparent anger she was holding. "Those people and I use that term _very_ lightly, are not much better than that bastard who killed-" she stopped, her eyes and face dropping. Everyone knew the name she wanted to say, but no one could say it. They just all turned and started toward the canal.

"I don't see how they could be as bad as him." Clary said at last.

Jace sighed and stopped, pulling up the sleeve of his jacket, to reveal his scars, and permanent mars glimmering in the witch light of the towers."These are why we hate them." Jace said. But Clary knew he was lying. Maybe not completely, but he was lying. She had never been able to be certain if people were lying, but Jace was the one person she could read. Interesting considering that no one else could. _No Jace that might be why they hate them, but you have a different reason._ Clary thought, _I can see it in your eyes._

"They are like the silent brother, they pervert their humanity by using horrid marks Clary. But they are far worse than Brother Jeremiah." Isabelle explained.

"How?" Clary Asked, but she didn't hear herself, a strange buzzing was filling her ears, and Jace and the others were looking at her weird. Mixed faces of shock and hatred, a look she had never seen Jace look at her with. She felt strange, heavy. Her body was slowly processed the force she felt grasping her around her chest, the sharp pain in her neck. She glanced back and saw a face she never thought she would see again. A silver blade at her throat as the man behind her held her tight crushing the air from her lungs.

"Because, their Marks are demonic in nature, much like me." Jonathan said with a chuckle that made Clary's body shudder.

**Hahaha, I was only fooling, there is no real sex scene, so for those who skipped the third section go back and read it cause it is a bit important. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm just a tease sometime lol. Oh and sorry for the cliffy at the end but hey, I hope you enjoyed and there is certainly more to come! Read and Review, especially if you want more! 'Til then Good Reading!**


	5. Chapter 5: Flashes of Silver

**Let's just jump straight in this time shall we?**

The hellmist had appeared in an instant. Clary had asked a question but they couldn't answer her, even as Jace screamed a warning that he seemed to miss, the cloud never actually engulfed her, but arms did. Two well toned arms clutched her, one wielding a shining silver blade about the length of Clary's arm was held to her throat. Jace stopped before he truly advanced, horrified but the sight of the mist billowing up out of the stone and slowly forming into a shape he knew all too well. Then the shape took true form, color, and even mind. At last after a few milliseconds that stretched into an eternity he, no not he, _It_, spoke. "Because their marks are demonic in nature, much like me."

"_You_." Jace hissed, his hand flying toward his belt, but finding no hilt he merely stood to his total height and clenched his fists. Isabelle had recoiled from him, her body tense, Alec had moved between her and Jonathan.

"Hello Isabelle, I trust those cuts have healed, then again I can't tell which marks are of your own stele and which are of my elegant whip work." His voice dripped of the poison that he was. Clary had felt raw hate for people before, or so she had thought, but this was different. To those she had thought she despised he had wished death. To the one holding her she felt the need to not only watch him die slowly and painfully but also to be the one to do it. "And Alec, I suppose you got lucky, had you been there when Max was I would have killed you as well, but you fortunately abandoned him just like Isabelle did." His words had cut like a seraph blade and Clary was waiting for him to burst at Jonathan. He strangely didn't smell like other demons, he still smelled human. "Such loving siblings to your late brother."

"You bastard!" Alec had made to move forward, a blade drawn from his belt, but an arm stopped him. Jace was staring at Clary. No, he was staring at the blade at Clary's throat. Jonathan must have thought so to, because he tightened his grip, if that was possible, the blade cutting deeper into her skin. She felt her skin separate at the tip of the blade, the pressure of it against her skin gone as it was replaced by the warm and stinging flow of liquid that ran down her neck and congealed above her collar.

"Yes, you knew what would have happened there don't you Jace?" His voice was like ice, and her loathing for this person grew, but she still couldn't shake the thoughts of this being her brother, and somehow felling both threatened and protected by his grasp. Soon he flicked the blade, putting through the material of her dress and putting a slash on her shoulder. She felt the material fall slightly, but his other arm and the dresses design kept her breasts hidden. "You know, my sister here has such lovely blood, a beautiful deep red." he said with admiration as he held the blade that was covered with a thin strip of her blood to the light of one of the demon towers. "And look, when held to the light it had a shimmer like gold, its smell is of a fresh field in spring." That protected feeling was getting uneasy, Jace made a step forward and the blade returned to her neck causing the sting in her arm to be forgotten and the feeling fled. "It's absolutely," he seemed to search for the right word, "disgusting."

"What do you want?" Jace demanded, his arm still out to Alec who showed signs of moving to strike regardless of Clary. Of course the murderer of his brother was standing before him, how was he to stand still.

"Actually, I had come here to kill this pathetic excuse for a sister. And my mother, so as to completely erase my filthy human blood train, but then I saw your little meeting, and your guests." He chuckled, "And so I suppose I shall have to alter my plan, I had intended to take their dead bodies for my own plans but now I'll settle for one of three." He narrowed his gaze into Jace's eyes, oh how he hated those eyes and had desired nothing less than to have ripped them out and presented them to Clary in a gift box. But he would have to resist this urge, _He_ had specifically told him not to kill Jace. "That was my plan, but then I saw your new friends, and heard of the icon, is it true? I do hope for Clarissa's sake it is otherwise she is of no interest to us." He added the last sentence under his breath in a dark tone to Jace.

"Yes, it's true." Jace said slowly, but he seemed to be on the brink. His legs tensed, his eyes glowing brightly, his mind racing, wondering if he was fast enough.

"Hmmm, well, I suppose _He_ would like to meet our dear Clarissa here, but." His eyes darkened with lust, a lust not for love or sex or anything tangible. It was a Lust for blood, one he had seen countless demons give to mundane, and vampires give o those they hated and wished to drink. "I just can't stand the thought of being known to have a relation to this bitch any longer." And his arm visibly tensed, his Face a manic smile. Clary knew what was coming but Jace would have to watch. She imagined what it would be like, the simple swift sting and then her mind would blur, and her body would slacken, and her life end. She felt the blade tense against her skin, saw his forearm move down and knew from her vast supply of knowledge not her own that his wrist would soon tighten and her life would end. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the reflection of his arm lower as he drew the silver blade across her throat.

***

"Simon your heart!" she said again, her voice high and cracking her face bright and her smile as wide as it had been when he had first kissed her so long ago. "Your heart is beating, Simon, you're not a vampire!"

"I know its beating, but still, I'm not alive." He said softly, her jubilation (never thought I would use that word) was cut short.

"What do you mean?" she demanded, "Your heart is."

"I know, but my lungs aren't working and I still feel no heat or cold. I'm a vampire just like before." He said sliding her an apologetic glance. Of all of his afflictions he cherished being a vampire more then anything as he had just explained to her, but he also hated it. Because he was a vampire he knew he was fooling himself by choosing to be with Maia, Maia was a werewolf, and her natural despise for him was never going to leave, they were in love but their desieses were separating them.

"Well, vampire or no vampire, your still Simon." She said, tracing a circle on his abdomen.

"And that amounts to what in this all?"

"It amounts to the fact that you are the smartest," she said, as she kissed his hand, "Funniest," she kissed her neck, "And the sexiest guy I have ever been with."

"Glad you think I'm sexy, but I think you need to get your eyes checked." She chuckled.

"Someone has low self esteem." She said as she kissed his lips.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." He joked as she swung a leg over him and straddled him again, this time without her mind being blurred by guilt.

"I still think you might be a bit wrong in your assumption that I'm sexy." He joked.

"I thought relationships should be based on more than just sex." She said as she leaned down and kissed him once more, his hands resting on her hips which just to get at him she ground down for a few seconds.

"So they say," she said, "but they probably meant that you had to be sexy for that to work."

"So," she scoffed at him as she sat up and reached back to the hem of her shirt, pulling it up like she had before, but this time she was completely in her own mind, "I'm not sexy enough?" she smiled as she gestured to her bra and looked at his eyes.

"I didn't say that, and for the record your sexy enough to cover for my deficiency." He said as she leaned forward and kissed him again, but he felt another pulse of his heart and a thought him.

"What' up?" She asked as she came up, looking at his distracted form. "I'm not still grieving; you know I don't mind this now. I won't regret it."

"It's not that." He said.

"So shat, all this sex talk and a beautiful girl in her bra and jeans astride your, well you know, is making you nervous?" she said, grinding her hips again to tease him.

"No, I think we should stop. I have to go." He said, standing up after she rolled off, he picked up her shirt and made it look like he was going to keep it but then tossed it to her.

"Where are we going?"

"I have to tell Clary the news don't i?"

"What, that you managed to control yourself twice, no, three times?"

"No, about my heart!" he said with an expression of both excitement and sarcasm.

"Oh, right, I guess she would want to know." She mumbled, a bit uneasy that the girl he had loved for so long had popped up in his head during their little escapade.

***

Clary's eyes drank in the scene within an instant. The small, dim puddle of water was like a mirror. She felt distant from the place reflected in its icy sheen, like she was watching a movie at home or even a play from a front row seat. It was a cruel truth, and one she wished she could believe to be a lie. But the pressure on her neck, the warm of the blood that flowed from a shallow cut at the tip of the cold silver rolling down her neck proved the reality of the situation. She looked deeply at the figures in the water, watched as a flash of silver cut the night darkness, and then saw no more.

She hadn't lost all sight, but her eyes could no longer see through the pool as its still surface was broken by a rippling splash. The Silver flash lingered on the surface, the pressure in her neck gone, the arm that had held her so sternly had withdrawn and her limp body fell toward the earth in a slow decent. "Damn, I should have expected _you_ to come." She heard Jonathan mutter as a set of strong familiar arms grasp her and pull her to her feet long before her knees hit the ground. Felt the sure grip, smelt the light lemon soap, and saw the black familiar marks on his chest through his white shirt. Jace was holding her up, spinning them around so his body covered hers and she could see the actions in the pathway.

Her mind slowly gain speed, where she had expected dead there was instead the warmth of the man she loved enveloping her. She saw in her mind's eye the events unfold as they had before, no seeing more than just the pool.

_Jonathan's hand had tensed; he was ready to slit her throat. He moved the blade just enough to open a larger cut on the top of her neck line, but he never managed to get the blade further. Even as Jace made to move forward a silver hand shout forward and a silver boot splashed into the puddle. The gauntlet was covered in shadowy cuts that formed runes to cover the plates, the hand grasp her brother's wrist and the base of his palm immobilizing his entire forearm and hand to stop his movement and thusly save her life. He had swiftly moved the blade directly forward, thusly releasing her. Jonathan had made to stop him by releasing her, actually more like throwing her, to the ground ahead. Her eyes caught a reflection in the window of Jonathan's hand crashing into the other silver gloved palm and his arms twisted into submission. As the Silver blade clattered to the ground Jace caught her up, and now here she was._

The man who had stayed behind was holding Jonathan fast, his left arm twisted and disjointed to cross his back, his right held toward the ground, one leg crossed under Jonathans to prevent any form a kick. She had heard about one of these holds, Jace had once told her that there were a few ways to completely immobilize a demon, but that they took awhile to set up a situation to get them in the hold. If she was reading Jace's face he was both impressed and angry at how fast the man had captured Jonathan. She couldn't hold to think about it thought, as the man spoke, "Mr. Wayland, please take Ms. Morgenstern away. And Mr. Lightwood, I would suggest you take your sister and inform Mr. Greymark that he should investigate the Necropolis." He said in a very flat and calm tone. Clary was astounded by his complete calm considering he was holding a Demon in his hands, and not just any demon, but Jonathan the one destined to rule the greater demons of the void. Jonathan was clearly struggling, and the moment he burst free of the man's grasp Jace picked her up and bolted full sprint down the road, causing the others to shrink at exponential speed. And all she could think was what she wouldn't give to see what was going on almost 50 yards away like she was right there.

No sooner had she wished this then her eyes suddenly sharpened and she saw clearly the fight by the canal. She saw Jonathan's kick miss by an inch, saw him step back and make to punch the man in his exposed chest with all his force. And just as Jace turned the corner she watched as the punch was let fly, the silver covered arm now fully coated in armor wrapped the punching arm and bent it backwards upon itself. She saw the sleeve of her evil brother's jacket bend as the bone shattered and heard him cry as Alec and Isabelle ran from the scene. Jace had turned back to look at the spot when Jonathan screamed but soon bolted around the next shop and the buildings obscured her vision.

"Jace! Stop! We have to go back, what if Jonathan kills him?" Clary cried, shaking herself out of his grip.

"Trust me, if anyone dies it will be the other way around." Jace said through gritted teeth. "For now let's get you out of here, we should head to the Lightwoods, it's nearest to the large grouping of Shadowhunters in the square."

**Okay, well not quite as exciting as my other chapters and it took so long cause I'm in school again, but hey at least ill post this and then some explanations in the next chapter. Now read and review, and don't forget to look for the little foreshadowing hints!**


	6. Chapter 6: My Name Is

**I know my writing has been a bit subpar lately, and I frankly have no excuse. So I will just jump right in at try to remedy some of these burning questions.**

"Jace, what the hell is going on?" Clary demanded, for the fifth time, they had reached the Lightwood's and the moment they entered Jace had rushed off to the side of the entrance hall into the armory to grab weapons.

"What do you mean?" Jace said casually.

"I don't know Jace, maybe I just want to know why my dead demon brother decided to cut my head off." Clary answered sarcastically.

"I think you answered that yourself, 'demon' brother." Jace said flatly as he shoved three seraph blades into his belt and grabbed another Gear Jacket that was about Clary's size and tossing it to her as she stood in the doorway.

Clary advanced as she slipped the jacket over her shoulders and grasp a large dagger from a shelf, sliding it into a belt sheath which she proceeded to strap to her waist. "You know exactly what I mean Jace; I thought you had killed that twisted bastard."

"That's not the way most people speak when their supposed dead sibling returns." Jace remarked with a sharp tone, he grabbed a stele and went to mark himself but Clary crossed the room and slapped his hand away.

"Most siblings don't have demon blood flowing through their veins." Clary said as she reached behind her and drew out a glowing silver and golden stele.

"Says the girl with angle blood flowing in _her_- Hey what are you? OUCH!" Jace cried as she pressed the strange stele to his skin and swiftly drew a Mark of Dexterity on his arm.

"Using my superior abilities with a stele to get you ready for battle, after all I _am_ the one with angel blood running in my veins." Clary said, she knew that when she made Mars they were more powerful and tended to hurt a lot more as she applied them. Isabelle had made her stop after only a few healing runes because her entire body was on fire from the pain.

"What makes you think he needs to head into battle?" said a strangely calm and steady voice from behind them at the entrance to the room.

"Clary!" Jace shouted in a warning and concerned tone as he drew a seraph blade from his belt. Clary didn't wait to see who it was; she didn't recognize the voice as Alec, Isabelle, Simon, or anyone else she would worry about hurting so she let her instincts take hold. She reached for the blade at her waist, spun about and flicked her wrist upward, sending the blade spinning at the figure in the doorway.

***

"Damn, not here!" Simon cursed as he kicked at Jace's door, suddenly softening the kick at the last moment as he didn't want to break it with his inhuman strength. They had hurried over to find Clary and Jace weren't anywhere nearby, they had spent a few minutes contemplating what to do next.

"Maybe Luke would know where they are." Maia stated, trying and failing to keep the hopefulness out of her voice. Simon knew that as much as she cared for Luke she hadn't looked him directly in the eye since the battle. He also knew that Luke had noticed, as a few hours before the festival Luke had found him and interrogated him to see if Simon knew what was going on with Maia. Apparently Luke had actually for some reason managed to get the impression that Maia might have been pregnant, and he had done a poor job of disguising his suspicions that if that was the case it would have been Simon who had done it. Thinking back to this nights events he couldn't really blame him, but that didn't change the fact that Simon knew exactly why Maia was so interested in finding Luke. However he did mind, Luke might know, and as big as his heart starting again might have been she figured Clary could wait a few minutes so Maia could straighten things out with her leader. Simon nodded and led them down the path to the square.

"You know Maia, you don't have to use Clary as an excuse to go and see Luke." Simon said as they walked by the canal about a quarter of a mile from the square.

'I'm not! Why would you think that?" Maia said quickly and defensively, to quick actually so her words were jumbled.

"Because it's true." He said matter-of-factly with a smirk. Maia looked like she was going to retort but then just sighed.

"Vampires aren't supposed to know about werewolves' thoughts and feelings like you do." She said with a look at his pale face, was it just her or was he gaining some color.

"They also aren't supposed to be able to bask in the sun and feel their own heartbeat." Simon said with a laugh.

"Touché, I guess you are a freak of nature. More so then other vampires that's for sure." She said as they followed a bend. Her mind momentarily registered that they would soon be able to see the Lightwood's place. However she didn't look over to the building, instead she looked up into Simon's eyes, as he had yet to respond to her mocking comment. He instead was staring off at into the distance. She followed his line of sight and soon she knew why. As they watched a man slipped into the Lightwood's, and although she couldn't see him clearly, she knew she didn't recognize the scent of him. Actually she almost did, he smelled like Simon's house to a degree, but other than that he was completely unfamiliar. Simon didn't seem too bothered by the man, but then again maybe he thought it was Mr. Lightwood or something. She knew better, "Simon, let's go!" she said as she sprinted off towards the house.

"What?" Simon said as Maia grasps his wrist and pulled him along as they shot forward toward the house.

"That guy is no one we know Simon, I didn't recognize his scent." She explained as they came to the doorway of the house, but Simon stopped and grabbed her shoulder turning her to face him before she could push the door open and enter.

"I know him Maia, he is my roommate, you don't have to worry about him." Simon said but soon he was apparently proven wrong as he heard Jace shout Clary's name in a concerned tone.

***

"Clary didn't stop to think about whom it might have been, she didn't even bother registering that Jace had stopped drawing his blade as he hadn't called its name. Instead she acted instinctively, tossing the blade without a second thought as to who it might be. She thought if she hit whoever it was she would just use a healing rune assuming they weren't someone she wanted dead.

A silver arm slapped the blade from the air, sending it straight to the floor at her feet, the hilt wobbling from side to side as the blade stuck fast into the wooden floor. The man standing there was different then she remembered. Maybe it was just because she hadn't really taken a good look at him before now, his strong facial bone structure, his black hair that fell to the brim of his eyes, and his height which was actually a little taller than Jace now that she thought about it. His eyes were different, blue instead of the hazel color she had seen before, but as she gazed she saw them start to darken, turning shades from bright blue to a green and continuing on the spectrum down to a Dark coffee brown. They slowly shifted back up the spectrum and paused, settling on a hazel color that had bright blue flakes running in streams through the green and brown toward the outside edge of the iris. She was slightly transfixed, and it took her a moment to break this hypnotizing stare into the strange and oddly beautiful eyes.

"It's always polite to look someone in the eye when they speak to you, however staring blankly takes this courtesy to the point of rudeness don't you think?" a voice cut through the fuzz of her mind.

'What? I'm sorry; I think I phased out, what were you saying?" Clary asked, not entirely happy she did, she thought that it might have been someone else and instantly dropped her polite manner. She remembered she wasn't supposed to like this man, although she didn't know why she wasn't supposed to hate him.

"You didn't miss much; just his little speech about how dangerous knives are and you shouldn't toss them about so carelessly. Blah blah blah." Jace said with a dismissive wave of his hand. However a moment later the front door could be heard being thrown open. Clary burst into the hall, shoving aside the man who had saved her. She didn't know what was propelling her, she had some feeling like she needed to see these people immediately, like she had the feeling to be polite to the man, throw the knife, all of it. She was running on instinct a lot lately.

"Clary!" Simon shouted as he burst in with his eyes glowing red and his teeth barred. However as he surveyed the scene, a growling half-turned Maia standing behind him. However, as his shoulders slackened so did hers and she slowly morphed back into Human form, but her face didn't straighten as she watched the scene unfold before her.

"Simon!" Clary said excitedly as she jumped forward to hug him. Her feelings of fear and exasperation all came flooding to her mind as at last the last bit of shock from the earlier events left her mind. She hugged him and felt the familiar feel of his arms around her and smelt his scent. He was the closest thing she had to a brother, and that gave her the strength to continue and break all numb remnants of the shock she felt that day. Maia softened a bit, but her frown remained, she clearly didn't like Clary hugging Simon so intently. After all, that guy belonged to her now.

"No offence Clay, but could you not cling to my boyfriend like that?" Maia asked, her voice was sweet, but held a warning and venomous undertone only a trained ear could catch. However it was her phrasing that true struck home to both Clary and Simon. It was the same tone and phrasing as when Simon had first called Clary his girlfriend, it wasn't a question, or a suggestion to Simon, it was an observation. He had wondered if he had put Clary on the spot that day, but it became clear to him now that although he did feel slightly appointed in the situation, he didn't feel uncomfortable by it; although Clary had confessed that when he had done similar she had felt slightly un-at-ease. Maia's smile was genuine, and this was not a request as he had thought, it was more of an order to him. One he was happy to oblige.

"Your boyfriend eh?" said a cool voice behind then all. They turned and found the voice embodied as Isabelle, her mouth twisted in a disappointed smile.

"Isabelle, what are you doing here?" asked an astonished Clary.

"Yell, this is _my_ family's house so…" she responded in her usual tone of confident superiority.

"Oh, right." Clary answered her sarcasm and suddenly realized her arms were still wound around Simon she blushed and slowly moved back to Jace's side as he stood at the entrance to the weapons room.

"This place is quickly becoming crowded." The man said in his calm voice, his tenor tone was soothing, but Jace's eyes hardened. "I suppose is shall excuse myself and allow you all to speak alone." He said with a slight bow as he headed toward the door.

"Not quite, I want to know what your intentions are, Mr. whatever your name is." Jace said with a glance to Simon who had understood and stepped in to block the path to the door.

After several moments of thought he turned back."Very well, I shall answer your questions." He responded, looking at Jace.

"Of course it would be easier for them to talk to you if they knew your name, wouldn't it." Simon said looking at the man. "So."

The man nodded, "You can call men Elrith. Elrith Clearfield."

**I know, short but hey, it took my two days to make a final decision on his name!, here it is, at long last I shall soon post a chapter that hold a lot of answers to a lot of questions. So don't expect too much action there, but plenty of insight. Oh, and let's not forget that with each question I answer, more shall be proposed. Bring pen and paper everyone, and get ready to take some notes! Muhahahaha or you could just read and review and maybe I'll give you all a treat instead!**


	7. Chapter 7: A Silver Arrow

**(* yes I changed his name, mainly cause Aiden is my friends chacters name as she was gripping at me and cause Elrith is just over used by me if you read my older stories (which i dont post so you wont muhahahah), but it won't bother the story, trust me)Let the lesson in the City of secrets begin. Pencils out and mouths closed if you please, now to begin let's start with…**

"Well, if you guy plan on having a nice long chat we might as well all sit down." Isabelle said with a sigh, brushing between Jace and Andres, moving as a guide into the sitting room at the end of the hall. However no one followed until she stuck her head around the corner with an annoyed look. "Aren't you coming?" Slowly Mai and Simon moved into the sitting room, followed by Jace and Clary. Still the man called Andres remained in the hall, leaned against one wall with his eyes closed; maybe he hadn't realized what was going on. "Mr. Clearfield, we are waiting." Isabelle said sweetly to him and then returned to the sitting room.

Two large couches faced one another; two more arm chairs were placed beside the hall to the entrance, a fireplace crackled on the other wall. The room was dark, and Clary just now realized that it must have been around 3 to 5 in the morning, and she had yet to sleep .He body leaned heavily on Jace as they sat side by side on one couch, Simon with Mia on the other. Isabelle sat in one of the armchairs and at last after a few moments where the only sound was of popping firewood the Andres entered.

They all watched him, expecting him to sit in the other chair, he must be tired, considering that he had recently fought Jonathan and even Jace was tired. However his eyes remained just as steady, if not a bit odd as they had shifted to green, his stride was solid and he walked over to the fire, where he leaned arms crossed on the mantel piece, gazing into the name. "I suppose ill drop the formality and just speak like someone our age should." He sighed. "So, whose first to interrogate me?" his eyes fell on each person in the room, skipping Simon it seemed who was just sitting there as though this was boring.

"Don't everyone jump up at once…" Clary whispered sarcastically, leaning forward and resting her chin in one palm. That was until she noticed all eyes were on her. "What?"

"Well, you are the least informed here." Simon said looking at her meaningfully, trying very hard not to let him statement become an insult.

"Says the vampire who has spent more time as a mundane than anyone here." said Jace snickering.

"Ignoring the peanut gallery," said Clary with an elbow jab into Jace's ribs, "I first and foremost want to know who you are and what you are." Clary said looking at Andres as Jace rubbed his ribcage.

"Who I am, as I have said, is Andres Clearfield. What I am is far more complicated." He began, the look of indifference in his eyes changed, shifting with his eye color to a deep blue and a sense of isolation. He gazed into the fire, the flecks of flame reflected in his dark eyes that slowly lightened nd then turned back to go towards green eyes again. 'I am a Captain in the Guardian Court, which serves as the protectors of the City of Sand." He said, Isabelle nodded, and Jace looked at Clary with that 'happy now' glare.

"The City of Sand?" she said quizzically, "I don't remember you guys telling me about any other cities."

"That's because it wasn't really important. And we personally don't know much more then you do Clary." Isabelle said with a glance at the man by the fire. "They don't call it the City of Secrets for nothing." she mumbled, but Clary caught it.

"City of Secrets?" she asked glancing at Andres.

"Yes, the operations that go on within our city as well as its exact location is one of the Claves greatest secrets." He responded with a side glance at her, his eyes now dark brown and shifting again.

"Ok so, I guess I can deal with that, but that doesn't explain why everyone in Alicante is treating you like a demon or something." Clary said another quick glance at Jace who remained stead fast in his gaze at the floor. He had taken up this pose when she had asked why it was called the City of Secrets.

Before Andres could answer Isabelle said loudly, "It's not everyone here, I don't hate him, I just don't understand him. Most of us from outside of Alicante feel that way." She added the last statement defensively, clearly afraid she had protested too much.

Clary waited with the others, but finally couldn't stand the awkward silence and so she continued, "So, now I know where you came from… sort of… but I still want to know who you are."

"Who, I am Andres Clearfield as I have said." He responded.

"I mean who and/or what is the Guardian Court?" she said impatiently.

As Andres made to answer Jace cut in, "The guardian Court is an elite group of Shadowhunters. They protect the Anchors, whatever those are, and the wards that surround earth. Among Shadowhunters they are the most skilled, and the most stained." He couldn't hide his distaste and Clary thought again of how he was hiding his true feelings at the moment. She also realized that he was speaking what he knew mainly in hopes of gaining more info. _That's just how he works…_ she thought and sighed outwardly.

"Exactly correct, but you forgot some things." Andres said as he looked at Jace with interest. "First off, we are looked down upon because we are 'stained' as you pointed out. That 'stain' is that we use demonic marks and have demon blood within our veins." Clary instantly felt a chill and saw Jonathan's face appeared up before her eyes. She shuddered. "However, our blood is diluted, not like Jonathan's. My blood comes from two sources our Downworlder Patriarchs, and my people's angelic blood comes obviously from the Shadowhunter lineage we share."

"What do you mean Downworlder patriarchs?" asked Maia, her interest peaked.

"I am sorry, but that is one of the secrets of our order." The entire room groaned and Jace shot him a dirty look. "I never said I would answer every question did i?"

"So, what makes you the best trained?" Maia continued her round of questioning.

"The wards are very strong in our city, stronger against regular demons then here in Alicante. However to protect us from the hordes of demons that would pour into the city due to its location the wards must have a weakness." He said, looking deep into the fire again. "The weakness in that Greater Demons are able to cross into our city far easier than most places. When you would fight a regular demon or maybe a small group of them, we must fight Greater Demons. Due to this we use the more potent battle marks of the downworlders, and train specifically to kill greater demons."

Clary didn't know what to say at that moment, but she could see Andres eyes harden and his mind race with memories in his now dark eyes. "So, if we kill a demon, you have to kill a Greater Demon?" Clary asked hoarsely, even Simon had gone a bit white, leaving Andres and Jace alone with color still on their faces. Simon was remembering the demon from the fortuneteller's house just like the others and Maia seemed just to get the point that Greater Demons were nasty.

Isabelle spoke up, "How many of them have you sent back to their foul dimension?"

"32. So no, I don't have to face one each time you defeat another demon. I was just showing the difference in our opponents. That and we fight in groups of 5, not 3 or 4. For clear reasons…" he answered, looking at his hands, and turning completely to look at the fire, his back to them.

Jace's eye snatched to a long thin white tube at his belt. It hung low and directly below his belt line behind him. It glowed slightly and Clary realized she hadn't noticed it before, but now that she looked at it she began to recognize it. It was a Seraph Blade, a big one; it was around 2.5 times longer than the average blade. Then again the "blade" was just the handle of course. But she still couldn't imagine why it would be so different. However she couldn't raise a question about it as Jace cut in, "So, you have more battle skills than almost anyone in Alicante, right?"

"That is correct." Andres turned to look Jace in the eyes, eyes that were cold.

"Then, can you explain," Jace asked with anger, "Why none of you came to help us when Valentine attack Alicante? And don't give me that crap about the Anchors must not fall. Not since you refuse to tell us what the hell the 'Anchors' are." Jace said, and Clary realized he was speaking without thinking. The bale must have been a trigger, since it was causing Jace to finally reveal why he disliked these Guardian Court guys. "Why didn't any of the Guardian Court come to help us if they are so strong? Why did _you_ abandon us?" He asked quietly and coldly. But Simon was chuckling. "What's so funny?" Jace snapped after a few moments.

"What's funny is you assume that they weren't in the battle when you weren't either." Simon said, his voice suddenly steady, and Jace had the almost irrepressible urge to punch him…hard!

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Jace asked, clinching his fists.

"He means that you are wrong Jace. One of the Guardian Court was there." Andres said.

"Who?" Jace demanded, "I'd like to shake his hand, so take me to your city and point him out."

"Me…" was the simple response from Andres, who raised his fist to eye level and drew the metal gauntlet form his right hand. As his tanned skin was revealed the unmistakable shape of the Alliance Rune was etched upon his hand, still a black outline. All others had faded, but someone this one still looked fresh, even though it wasn't a permanent mark it remained. Clary vaguely wondered why that was when Jace's voice broke through her mind.

"_You!_ But who…who was your partner?" Jace asked staring still at the black mark on his hand.

"That would be me." Simon answered, raising his hand in the air and smirking at Jace's defeated look. Clary gaped at Simon. Why had he been at the battle, and now that she looked closer she noticed that his Mark was still dark against his pale skin.

"Shouldn't it have faded by now?" Maia asked, voicing everyone's question as she drew her long sleeve from over her arm and looked at the back of her own hand which was scared white, but not still marked. Clary wondered what this could mean, until Maia's voice cut the quiet contemplation in the room. "That's so weird…Oh!" she bounded up, dragging Simon from his snug seat and wiping the look of pleasure at Jace's puzzlement and causing him to look like she did, as though they had just remembered something massively important. "Simon's mark isn't the only thing odd about him!" she chanted with glee, pulling Clary up from her seat and placing her hand on Simon's chest.

A few moments passed and Clary never moved her hand. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to be feeling. "What should i?" but she stopped, her breath caught as Simons hand pressed hers into his chest and she felt at last what she was meant to find. A pulse was slowly beating in his chest, his heart was beating… so he was, "Simon, your heart… that means that your-"

Clary was cut off by a blinding light that issued from behind Andres, whose eyes shot open after being closed for so long. "Damn, here? Now?" he said in a whisper.

"What's wrong?" Jace said, his face suddenly serious and no long holding any trace of his usual no combat self.

"The necropolis, we must get there immediately, grab as many weapons as you can carry. Simon, let's go." He said, walking briskly from the room. Simon nodded and followed, and stood next to him as they stopped on the doorstep. Andres held his uncovered hand up, Simon did the same and they touched their marks together. Without another word they sprinted forward and leapt, flying over the channel and landing on the ground beyond, before swiftly jumping again and disappearing over the next line of houses.

"When did Simon get so cool?" Isabelle asked.

"That Alliance Rune is powerful stuff Clary, come on, we can't let them have all the fun.

***

Luke and Alec stood, back to back, watching as the Shadowhunter to their left dispatched the last demon in the graveyard. There had been 12 of them, and three of them were humanoid, and powerful. Two Shadowhunters lay dying, one dead with his head torn from his body by one of the beasts. Luke sighed and sheathed the long silver Katana he had taken from the Chamber Armory when he had been told to come here by Alec. "That was unexpected."

"Yeah well, we never really expect demons to show up here, especially not this close to Alicante." Alec responded.

"You would think after our recent troubles we would have learned how vulnerable we were." Luke sighed. "At least this time we came armed, usually we would never have carried but a few small daggers to this place."

Alec had walked away to inspect one of the dead humanoid bodies, this one still had the silver tipped arrow Alec had shot through its torso. He reached down and wondered why he was so odd. This demon was for some reason different than those he had killed. Then it dawned on him to late the things eyes opened and a clawed hand grabbed his throat, the body raising. Luke spun about and faced the figure, Alec struggling in the vice like grip as the thing held him above the ground. It was not tall, actually it had shrunk, if Luke remembered correctly this demon had been 6 feet 2 before, now it stood about 5' 6" and no longer looked like an adult human, it looked like a 15 year old boy, but its eyes were dark with malice. Deep yellow eyes, the iris not formed in lined form the pupil outward but from different shades of yellow spiraling around it.

"This arrow is rather uncomfortable." Its voice was like a teenagers, but calm and cold that sent a chill up Luke's spine, that voice and speech pattern match Valentine's. He used one hand to draw the Arrow from his chest, still holding a struggling Alec above the ground as he stretched his arm up to compensate for the height difference. "But I suppose I should return it instead of breaking it, just to be polite." Luke and the four other Shadowhunters dashed forward, but the Evil grin that had crossed the monster's face remained as in one swift motion he plunged the Arrow through Alec's back, the head pushing through his front, covered in glittering red blood. Alec cried out in pain and then was still.

**Cliffhanger ahoy! Well, ill post again soon if I can, maybe I'll have a big fight scene chapter ready by Labor Day as a special gift to you guys. Read and review, so I can keep up my moral and keep posting many chapters to please you eyes. Until next time, good reading my friends.**


	8. Chapter 8: Stand and Fall

**(You begged me to update, and so I sat down, typed and here you are. Read and Enjoy! Oh, and REVIEW please!)**

**When last we met we were watching as Alec fell, and Luke threw himself into the fray with a demon. This chapter is mostly combat, if not all combat. I've been told these fight scenes are where I excel, but I'll let you be the judge of that, and please tell me how you think I did. Now Onward to Battle!**

Luke scowled, he could tell by just a simple glance at Alec he wasn't dead but he was out of this fight. And being that he was still held by this demon he was in far worse trouble than before. More than he could have ever guessed, from the size and shape, as well as the abilities of this demon Luke knew that it was likely Alec would die. No, it was almost certain, and not just that Alec would die, but that not one of them was going to leave this graveyard alive. Luke had identified this demon. _If I'm right,_ he thought, _I have absolutely no chance of leaving this place alive_. Yet still he sprang win perfect unison wit the other Shadowhunters around him. There were four of them against this one monster. And yet in the moment he flung himself with the others, blade thrust forward to stab the creature. It vanished, nothing but a decaying smell and a silhouette of smoke, Alec had dropped to the ground with a thud, his body limp and his eyes hidden; though Luke guessed they were blank and lifeless at this point.

For a moment he allowed himself the naive thought that the demon had simply fled, so he turned to one of his fellows and said "Heal Alec, I'll cover you."

However barely had he finished speaking then the man bled, a large dark blade jutting from his heart, and a cold voice spoke, "How can you cover him if he is already dead?" The man fell forward as the blade was dragged from his body, his eyes rolled and his life ended. The teenager form of the demon stood there, using a white cloth to wipe the blood from the blade. No, not a blade, it was his hand; his hand had changed shape as he had to form a large sharp sword of bone and cored with muscle that jutted from his wrist in place of a hand. As Luke watched the blade shifted form, shrinking in a bloody mess of muscle and bone back to his arm and forming swiftly into a clean and undamaged hand.

"Your name, it's…" Luke began, but the demon was gone, this time merely jumped over Luke to land behind him, Luke turned and brought his katana to bare, the clawed hand that had formed in place of his sword arm glanced off the silver steel, and Luke slid back in the damp earth of the Necropolis ground. He hit a tombstone and felt his canine tooth on the right side crack as he hit the stone with a bone jarring smack. Be felt hot blood pour from his right shoulder. He looked over to find dark marble, blood red staining the white as his life flowed through his veins and out to the point of what was actually a sword, carved into the hand of the figure of an ancient Shadowhunter upon which he was now resting. Looking up he found that the demon had already moved when Luke managed to breathe again and look up, he had dodged to the side of the retaliatory blade of another Shadowhunter and was now in the process of breaking the man's neck as he had kicked his leg out from below hi and had now wrapped his arms around his head. Luke heard the snap, and then the tear, the demon pulled the man's head up and looked into the blank eyes before tossing it away as if it were a piece of uninteresting trash in a junkyard.

But this moment's mockery of the dead man cost the demon a blade through his chest. It was a pike, a long spearhead jutting from the center of the things abdomen. It breathed in hard and then began to whither in apparent pain, grabbing the pikes head and breaking it from the staff. Suddenly the creature smirked and spun about as it stood, driving the blade into the man's groin and chuckling. "Just kidding." He twisted and the man's face contorted in pain unable to dry out, his shout was cut short as the demons Hand, again clawed gripped his mouth. He was lifted into the air and died there. The other hand of the beast had turned into a long blade again, which it proceeded to drive through the Shadowhunter's throat. His body gave a last jerk as his hands gripped the wrist of the demon, and then fell still. "That will teach you." He dropped the man's mouth and then slung the blade arm to the right, letting his body slide off it.

Luke whispered their names under his ragged breathe and then spoke loudly, however the demon couldn't hear him as it examined the dean men's lifeless bodies. It had turned to head over to Alec when he spoke loudly, his voice echoing around the graveyard, "_Ave atque vale!_" he paused to breathe heavily, sliding his shoulder from the blade of the statue with a grunt, "My comrades." he completed softly, but as the demon had stopped walking he felt as though this statement echoed louder than the actually prayer. As he stood to his full height, the demon stopped about twenty feet from Alec and looked over to him.

"You're still alive are you? Interesting, I thought that sword had pierced your lung. I suppose my aim was a bit off." He said, Luke was now taking a steady wide stance, holding the blade up vertically prepared to fight. "You're going to fight? You can barely stand, and I would venture to guess that you have had that lung of yours punctured."

Luke spat a pool of blood to the ground and breathed heavily, it was true his lung was shot. But then again this showed that the demon hadn't noticed the fact that his wounds were almost healed. Slowly his eye darkened and his teeth mended, growing into sharp points. He let out a low growl. "You're no regular demon, are you?" Luke breathed and then stood steady.

"Hmm? You are a well informed one…" he chuckled and then walked slowly toward Luke. "And it looks as though you have healed, I should have guessed, you Shadowhunters can put those damn Marks in such obscene and hidden places." The demon was now only a few steps from a now smiling Luke. "Happy to go to death like your fellows?"

"Not at all," the demon raised an eyebrow at Luke's comment, "Just looking forward to killing a sick monster like you." He dove forward, slashing down with his katana which sliced through a low-lying tombstone that was standing behind the demon. He had stepped to the side at the last minute, and his face had lost its smug look.

Luke was faster than most Shadowhunters. _And he is stronger too_, the demon thought as the shimmering sword slashed horizontally across his midsection, missing him but cutting his jacket. Techniqually that meant he had been cut, as demons don't wear clothes, but the most powerful simple form them on their bodies. He grinned as he saw an opening and went for it, his hand shifting mid thrust into a sword that stuck out to Luke's heart

A heart that was no longer there, as Luke had stepped over to the side, spinning on his right heel and bringing the blade down and through the demon's arms. A howl and the blade and forearm spun in the arm, sticking up in the ground a few feet away. Luke tried to capitalize on this strike, bringing the back of the blade up and twisting it around to bring the edge to bear. But instead of slicing through the exposed flesh and now scaled hand with long talons gripped the blade, and crushed the steel in its grip. Finally the hand tore the steel apart, casting the broken and useless blade to the side. Luke couldn't believe this was happening, he had foolishly assumed he might have beaten this creature. However what he saw behind the demon made him feel like his sacrifice would be worth it. _Alec can escape_, as Alec had managed to regain consciousness and was now removing the arrow. _I just have to buy him some time_!

"And now, you too shall die." The cold voice spoke as the clawed hand slashed forward, but Luke used the hilt and small blade left to block the strike. He flipped backwards and landed a few feet away, the force of the blow propelling him, the last fragment of his sword flying from his hand and into the night. "Weaponless and friendless, aren't you pitiful."

_That's what you think_, Luke smirked and focused, his nails hardened and grew, his eyes growing and sharpening into a dagger like gaze. The demon had turned his other hand back into a sword and was rushing at Luke. Shouting what he assumed to be curses in the demon tongue. But as he brought the blade forward Luke struck again, his claws guiding the blade over and down into the dirty and the other set slashing through the beast's neckline.

The boy backed away and sputtered, laughing almost. "So, that explains why you don't have any clearly visible marks, a Werewolf? So that makes you Lucian Greymark right?" he smiled.

"Will you get serious already, damned fool!" called an agitated voice, baritone by the sound of it, from the sidelines, Luke couldn't help but look, sitting atop a mausoleum was a demon, a man with two curving horn jutting from his head, the curved down and to the side, giving his head a slightly bloated look. But his body was massive, and the black cloak he wore looked like a Shadowhunters. "If we aren't back in time Kane might get mad, and then if she gets mad of course so will _he._"

"Yeah yeah, I just hate having to rush my pleasure." The demon grinned, and lashed forward. Luke blocked and soon they were in a stalemate of strikes, claws rending flash and blood dripping to the ground.

_One hand and he can still fight like this!_ Luke thought angrily, he kept fighting until after a few more blows the demon struck him in the chest with a bone shattering kick that he knew had broken half his ribs. He flew back and flipped twice to land on his back. This punctured a lung (again) and left one rib standing out of the skin.

"Oops, looks like I broke your lung again. Allow me to put you out of your misery." He said, walking over to his disembodied arm and placing it against the stubble of its once joined elbow. The limp reattached and he pulled it from the ground, and then walked over to stand beside Luke. "I enjoyed our battle, but I can't take time for idle chatter, or that pesky healing of you werewolves might draw this out to long. And then my master might get upset with me."

"What (cough) are you here for?" Luke demanded. The demon looked quizzically at him then to his companion.

"I don't understand, why is it all of these dying Shadowhunters think they can demand information from their killers?" he asked.

"I don't really know, but if you don't kill him quick we might never get the chance to find out." He responded, looking at Alec, who had passed out again, _he might actually be dead this time_ he thought idly.

"You're right."

"Then do it and let's get this over with."

The demon looked at Luke, "I would enjoy being able to keep you as a pet, but unfortunately I can't bring you home at this time. I suppose you will just have to die here." He raised the blade and pointed the tip at Luke's head; he wasn't going to risk missing his heart. "I am truly sorry about this, Lucian Greymark." There was no sorrow in his voice.

"No you aren't." Luke reasoned, the boy shrugged and plunged the blade. A clang and the boy stepped back.

"But he will be." A calm voice spoke from next to Luke, it was Andres, and a long bright blade had blocked the demon's attack. It was a simple long sword's blade, almost four foot long, with a two and a half foot handle, which rested in one hand. The guard was a simple bar, but it pulsed brightly and with each one the shadow of light left the appearance of runes etched upon the whole weapon. "Hello again River," he spoke in a friendly to, "Been some time, almost a seven months. What does _He_ have you doing now?"

"Liked I would tell you Captain Andres…" the demon named River responded, but then he looked from the blade to his hand, it had changed back to normal and was smoking, a large red burn in the center of the palm. "So, I see you brought Raziel." He added, nodding to the blade in his hand. Andres smirked.

"Damn it, _now _we are sure to be late." sighed the other demon, running a clawed hand through his long, black, greasy hair.

**Short again, but that is to preserve the awesome cliffhangers that keep you coming back for more. The next Chapter will be up soon, this is one of my favorite parts so p[lease read and review. Review my combat writing especially please, as I pride myself on being decent at it. The next chapter might be up tomorrow, maybe the next day. And coming soon: they say all is fair in love and war, but even if that's true all we seem to have right now is war, I plan to change that. (**_**Be warned that this story will be moving to the M rated section on 9/6/09)**_


	9. Chapter 9: Battle of the Necropolis

**The battle has begun, but who shall emerge. I promise you if you bear with me through this storm you will be rewarded! (also, reread chapter 4, as I have added a single missed sentence that is very important to the story. It comes where Andres is speaking with Clary and the others while the council is leaving.)**

"Damn it Lithus, would you get those damned ashes already?" an angry cry came from the demon boy as he backed away from an advancing Andres who was spinning the large blade about like a staff from the point where the hilt met the sword. The handle bar was actually located a few inches below, giving the entire hilt the shape of a cross. His fingers were intertwined with the cross-section, spinning the entire weapon about as he held it up and at a slight angle so that the tip of the blade sliced through the tall grass like a scythe as he advanced slowly and calmly toward the demon known as River. River had darted over to a fallen Shadowhunter and was now holding his silver long sword at the ready. Andres struck with a sudden upward slash carrying the momentum of the spin through has it contacted the other sword, which vibrated and flew from the demon's hand to land a few yards away. But Andres was now wide open, and River took the shot, striking at him with his now suddenly shifting hand. Just as the sword formed Andres stepped left and brought the bright blade to bear and sliced upward, the hand saber glancing away. River pressed the attack with long claws formed on the end of his other hand and slicing at Andres, the white leather of his outer coat tearing into shreds as the claws made contact. He jumped back, leaving a trail of leather still attached to River's claws.

"Fine, I'll do your damn job. It's not like I didn't expect to have to." He mumbled, taking one last look at Luke, who was now resting against a tree as he forced his ribs back into position and waited to heal. He then glanced at Alec, who was shaking reaching into his coat and drawing out a stele, Beginning to mark a messy healing rune on his arm. "Oh no, my friend, I can't let you do that." The larger more demonic man spoke as he slapped Alec across the face, causing him to land on his back again after just recovering into a crouch. The stele rolled away into the tall grass. "If you get back on your feet you might use that pesky Alliance Mark on the werewolf and then he could use marks to be a real problem. No," he stood over Alec, "I'm afraid I have to kill you, pity. I don't like having to kill needlessly, it's so distasteful." Alec gazed his killer in the eye, blood from his head wound congealing along his right eye and forcing it to close. His hair matted. The Demon raised a single hand, palm facing Alec. Slowly his palm broke and split as a long bone spike forced its way to the surface, demon venom dripping from the point to hiss on the ground next to his ear. "Farewell, young Shadowhunter."

***

"Isabelle, you should go find your mom and dad, I'll head to the graveyard to give them a hand. Clary, you and Maia stay here." Jace advised as he headed to grab more weapons.

"Since when do you order me around?" Maia asked as she grabbed a leather gear coat and headed for the door.

"Since I need someone to watch Clary and make sure she is safe!" Jace yelled as she made it to the door and stepped into the dark. It was around 4 in the morning, the sun would be rising in about 2 hours.

"If Simon is going to do battle with a horde of demons I'm going to help him. And there isn't a thing you can do to stop Me." she reasoned, shutting the door and shifting into a wolf and running off toward the Necropolis.

"Damn it." Isabelle cursed, she entered the armory, grabbed her whip as well as another one that was a bit shorter but had a knife tip at the end. "How about we adjust that order there Jace, Clary can go tell my parents and the others while you and I go to fight, my parents should be at the Penhallow's."

"This isn't up for discussion Izzy!" Jace shouted angrily, shoving another dagger into his belt and grabbing a longsword from the table in the middle of the room, making to have it join the many blades and belts around his waist.

"Like hell it is! I have already lost one brother to that bastard Jonathan!" Isabelle protected, Jace finished tying the blade to his waist and then stepped forward quickly to Isabelle, shoving her against the wall gently and looking her in the eye.

"Leave this to me." He said, loosening his grip, Isabelle made to leave but Jace held her up again. "You're _not_ going!"

Isabelle didn't flinch, didn't hesitate, but brought her leg between them and kicked Jace away from her. He staggered back and looked at her disbelievingly, her boot mark in dust still formed on the outside of his jacket. "Like hell I'm not." She said flatly and walked out of the room, grabbing a belt of three seraph blades on her way. She exited the house and slammed the door, disappearing into the night.

"Isabelle!" Jace made to follow but Clary caught him.

"Let her go, you know she needs to do this." Clary said, hiding her tears of fear. This wasn't her world, no, it was now. This war was hers now. And she had to fight it. "I'm going to find her parents, and then I'll meet you at the Necropolis." Jace caught her arm and brought her back to him. "You couldn't stop them, so what makes you think?" he kissed her, stopping her protest, her knees weak as she melted into him.

Finally he pulled away "I'm not stupid enough to try that." He said with a smile. "Just try and stay out of trouble, even though I'm here to save you."

"Ah, but I like playing the damsel in distress."

"So does that make me your Knight in shining armor?"

"Technically you're not in Shining armor, that Andres guy is but… You'll do."

"I don't know whether to be mad or glad, but now isn't the time."

"Sorry to distract you, now get out of here."

"No problem."

Jace was out the door and down the street in a moment, leaping like a vampire over the roofs of the city. Clary, however, had to lean against a wall and allow her body to wind down after being so close to Jace. Every time they got close she felt the need to… well, her mother definitely wouldn't approve of those thoughts. "Damn hormones." She chuckled, then remembered the emergency at the moment and headed to the weapon room. She armed herself with several knives and two seraph blades. Finally she reached into her pocket to feel the steady pulse of the odd Stele, which she placed into a tight holder with a cap on the belt. "I'm not losing this one." She left the house and headed down the street toward the Penhallow's home about two blocks down.

***

A drop of venom fell as the demon raised the spike higher, pointed at Alec's heart. The venom hissed and burned against his skin as it ate through the gear he wore. It wouldn't eat through his skin, but would cause a horrible burn, and if it entered his bloodstream he was sure to die. The spike plunged, Alec holding his breath waiting for it. He vaguely wondered who would be the first to say the last rite over him, probably Luke. He prayed that Guardian Court guy would kill this damn demon before he could do his family more harm. But as the spike came within inches of killing him a white pale hand grasp the demon's arm. He watched as Simon who had bolted from the mist grabbed the demon's arm and expertly twisted around, Rolling his arm and shoulder under the large beast and using his vampire strength to fling the creature away. _When did he learn that? Wrestling camp?_ He thought vaguely on this but as Simon's hand turned while he threw the demon away over his shoulder he revealed a glowing Alliance Rune on the back of his hand. _Right. _

Simon breathed heavily as he let the skill from Andres flow through him allowing him to masterfully judo throw Lithus away. The demon hit the ground and bounced, flipping back onto his front and digging one clawed hand in to slow his sliding down the slop, as well as to counteract the force of the throw. Vampire strength was nothing to sneeze at. He slid over a stone slab that acted as a grave marker, his claws latching on as he drug it from the ground and heaved it above himself. He came to a stop and smiled, "Not back vampire, but it's my turn now!" he launched the large stone slab at both Simon and Alec.

"Time to go Alec." Simon grunted as he grabbed the weakened Shadowhunter and rolled to the right, moving them from beneath the falling stone. It shattered as it hit the ground and Simon set Alec against a tree. "I'll be back." Simon turned and lunged down the gentle hill toward Lithus, claws outstretched. Lithus merely smirked and formed another spike that forced through his palm, he gripped it and tossed, the spike coming loose and flying like a dagger at Simon. Simon didn't think, but let his clawed hands move independently of his mind and glance the spike away, a small drop of poison hitting his face and burning him slightly. Simon tackled Lithus, how just punched him in the gut as they began to roll down the hill. Simon jump away as Lithus rolled a few more yards before slowly rising, brushing the dust from his shoulder. The gear he was wearing torn by Simons claws.

"You can't beat me Vampire, my poison is one with my blood, and so should you bite me even you would die." He said in his deep tone, he held up his hand toward Simon, an odd blue energy forming in his palm. "I happen to be the worst demon or you to fight Vampire." The energy formed a small orb and shot at Simon. Simon barely dodged and grabbed at a stone on the ground, hurling it with all his strength at the large demon. It flew like a cannon ball, its momentum enough to smash through a tree limb that impeded its trajectory. However the demon just slapped the stone form the sky, turning it to dust with the back of his scaled hand. He remained impassive, his face unreadable as the dust cleared from his face, the trail of the smashed stone still holding form as it floated away. "Not a bad attempt, however I doubt you can keep up this fight. And with Captain Clearfield occupied by River, you have no reinforcements."

"You sound so sure demon!" a cry came from the mist ad a large Shadowhunter sprinted into the fray, Lithus raised a single hand blue with power but was quickly stopped in his attempted counter by the large man hurling a pike at him. Hs hand came down to grasp the hilt of the pike as it struck his chest, causing greening blood to run from him.

"I had forgotten about you." he said pulling the pike from his abdomen and preparing another spell, "But I'll amend that."

The spell flew and missed, hitting a tree beyond that burst into white flames then vaporized moments later. "Not a chance!" the hunter drew two seraph blades and lunges, one connecting with Lithus's midsection, which despite the hunter's size still was almost shoulder height on the man. Lithus towered almost 9 feet above the ground and even as the glowing blade tore through him he showed little emotion beyond a scowl.

"That wasn't very polite Nephilim." He said warily, he sounded tired. "You constantly delay me." He turned his hand on the Shadowhunter and sent a bolt of blue lightning from his palm at him. However he crossed his swords and the angle's power within them dispersed the spell. The two battled; Lithus's claws and spells constantly countering the man who was on the attack.

After a moment Simon recognized the man as the one who had saved him in the battle, he had been carried away by that flying demon, but must have survived somehow, and was now here. And he was calling to him from over his shoulder, "Don't just stand there Daylighter! Get Lightwood out of here!"

Simon didn't need to be told twice before he hurried to Alec's side, where he found him using the stele he had lost and obviously found to draw an _iratzeI _on his exposed forearm. No sooner had he finished drawing the rune then it had sank slowly into his skin, and began healing his many cuts, bruises, and even the large hole from the arrow. The blood on his shirt was fresh and seemed to flow back into his body, leaving the lower dry layers still stained against his gear shirt. "We gotta go Alec!" Simon said as he reached down to lift him up, even if his outer injuries where healed, the inner ones wouldn't heal so easily, especially with demon venom all around. But Alec pushed him off after he had helped him to his feet; he braced himself against a tall gravestone and took the stele to his arm again. "What are you doing? We have to leave!"

"Just hold on Simon," Alec said, "Trust me, please, like Jace would."

"But...I...Urg!" Simon groaned, thinking hard, if something happened to Isabelle's only remaining brother, could he forgive himself? Should he force him to leave? Simon spoke at last, "Alright, do what you gotta do."

Alec nodded, breathing heavily as he finished an odd rune, unlike those Simon had seen on him or the others before. He pressed it with his forefinger, And Simon gasped as it didn't seep into his skin like he expected, but lit on fire and literally jumped from Alec's forearm, landing on the ground the small ball of flame that showed a slight resemblance to the mark rolled about on the ground, leaving a circle of fire in the dirt, the circle filling with red flame to form a solid pool of the blasé. The fire became flat and turned into a molten liquid of the same red, the rim still ablaze. The rim flared and turned into a tall pillar of fire, which almost spontaneously was extinguished, the circle of fire still smoldering, to reveal a brightly dressed, dark skinned Mage in a bright blue robe and sparkling eyes standing where the pillar had been.

"So, you do remember that summoning mark eh? Good, but I'm still a bit mad at you from the other night Alec so I don't think I'll stick around too long and… Good Lord, what happened?" Magnus roared as he caught sight of Alec's bloodied coat and Simon's cut face and arms. He looked about and his catlike eyes seemed to sharpen with understanding of the present situation. "Damn, Demons, and not just any demons, these two are… hmm… River," he said indicating to the small one fighting Andres, "Very nasty younger demon, able to form his entire body into a weapon and that one," he stopped as his eyes came to rest on the Large demon who had just then cast a blot bolt at the Shadowhunter fighting him, who barely dodged, "LITHUS!" he roared in anger, apparently forgetting Alec for the moment and moving to stand between Simon and Alec and the fight. A single bolt went astray as the Shadowhunter twirled his blade and struck, causing the arm aiming for him to fly up and sending the attack at them. Magnus just raised one arm quickly and formed a red wall of plastic like energy to form before them and absorb the bolt.

The shield dropped just in time to show them a perfect view from the side as the Shadowhunter caught a blue bolt in the chest, lifted from his feet he was turned horizontally with sparks dancing across his body and forming a trail as he flew almost 12 feet to crash through a small tree, a sapling that had died and was dry enough for him to break through it and land a 3 feet behind as the tree fell. "That should do it, now for my mission." He turned to see Magnus already charging to large bolts that ran up the lengths of his entire arms, he let the bolts fly and the large demon name Lithus formed a black wall simmered to the one Magnus had made, dropping it just as swiftly as Magnus had. "Magnus Bane…never thought I would see you again, and never with such power, where did you learn that spell?"

Magnus smirked and strode forward, pointing his finger at the ground and drawing a circle around him and the Demon, forming a large ring on the ground of blue sparks, the area around shimmered as a clear force field of power formed a dome around them, holding their battle from the others. "From your book of course." He said, and his hand struck forward, fire spraying at the demon that clasps both hands forming a clear wall to split the fire.

His shield soon vanished, and he stood there momentarily as the flame burnt, then vanished. Lithus growled and shrugged the burnt Gear coat from his shoulders. "We'll be at this all day." He moved and cast more bolts at Magnus, who through a combination of dodges, shields, and on the last strike actually grabbed the bolt from the sky, survived the volley. With the captured spell he started one of his own and soon the sphere was a multicolored show of magic and devastation, spells hitting the trees within it and bursting them into shrapnel, or into flaming spires, one flame stopped short of the top of the tree, which rested safe outside the sphere.

"Come now Lithus, surely you can beat that little half breed." said a cold but beautiful voice from behind Simon. He slowly looked around, barely registering that Alec had backed away and was now bending down slowly to get his bow, he was being sneaky and Simon's eyes met those of the being behind him he understood why.

A woman about Isabelle's height and figure was standing there, she had a pretty face, and her hair was golden and flowing. She was beautiful, but her red iris seemed to lust for blood, and her smiled showed a set of needle like pearly teeth, two prominent fangs much like a vampires clearly shone. "Hello there, you're the Daylighter right?" She chuckled and looked him up and down admiringly, "I'm so glad to meet you, at last one of my children has reached that point that is needed to be called a true Vampire. I am surprised at how young you seem to be though." She placed a hand gently on his shoulder, the hand trailing down his chest to come to rest on his heart. Her smile faded, "So that's it," she dais with understanding, "You have ingested Angle's blood, and so you're not one of my children at all, you're…hmm what's the right word?" She seemed to think, and then her palm pushed forward, sending Simon back several steps as she showed rage on her face. "An abomination!"

She advanced and Simon took a quick fighting stance, round house kicking higher then he thought possible till he felt the dull sting of the mark on his hand. But his foot stopped fast in the grip of her hand as it stopped his attack. She threw him back further, causing him to land on his back. "I have no intention of drawing this out like that damned fool Lithus, you will die here, you abomination." She used that word like a sword and straddled him as he lay on the ground trying to get his mind back together. He vaguely realized he was finding himself in this position more and more lately, But as his eyes sharpened he saw her fangs extend as her head came down toward his neck. He struggled, and she backed up a bit to place one of his arms under one leg and hole the other, then using her free hand she tilted his head. He heard her hiss hungrily, a hunger stronger than any vampire he knew, her hunger was like a demons, as was her scent.

"Get off him you blood sucking bitch!" roared a familiar voice as Simon tilted his head to see Isabelle standing next to a large wolf. Isabelle had drawn her whip but the wolf had moved, lurching at the shape on top of him. The two shapes rolled and stopped, Maia shifted into her human form was the dominant one holding the demon woman down.

"That boy is mine, get your own!" she yelled as she slapped the woman with a clawed hand, which cut four long gashes in the face if the beast, the gashes oozed a grayish substance like blood, but healed almost instantly, the demon chuckling again.

In the blink of an eye they had rolled again and the evil form took the top, leaning on Maia like she had on Simon, "Fine, I'll take you instead." But before she could lower her face a strong hand had grasp her shoulder, the hand lifted the demon off of Maia and spun her around.

Simon's hand moved from the demon's shoulder to grasp its throat, a throat that was slightly bigger then it appeared to Simon, his eyes full of rage he hadn't known before and his fist balled next to his head as he prepared to strike. "And she, is mine." He struck with all his strength and sent the creature rolling and sprawling on the ground until it came to rest a few feet away. Along the way the creature seemed to change form suddenly then revert to the woman, flashing between beauty and a beat like large figure. "Maia you okay?" Simon asked concerned as he stood between the demon and Maia, guarding her with his whole body. His eyes were calm, full of relief he had been fast enough to save her, but his body was tensed like an experienced fighter, ready to move. His shoulders sense and his arms still, but still fluid and ready to move, he glared at the demon. "As I thought a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"Interesting, how did you guess I was a man? You can see through glamour but not shape shifting." The Demon asked as it brushed the dust from its brown coat.

"Your scent." Simon said smartly.

"Ah yes, you are one of my children, so of course, but to associate with a child of the moon?" the demon laughed.

"Don't you dare!" Simon warned.

"It seems one of your pets, and one of my children is falling for each other, Lunalis." The Woman stood slowly and slowly began to shift, the change started at the feet and moved up to reveal a large man, the size and shape of Valentine, the eyes still the same, and the strange and terrifying grin still sharp as a crate of knives. "How distasteful."

"I don't see why you continue to be so foolishly bent on that old contest of ours, Drace (Drake is how it is pronounced)." Said a harsh and deep voice from the mist, a man about 5'6" stepping forward, he had a mated main of grey hair that hair seemed to run over the tops of his arms and hands, almost giving him the appearance of Luke half changed, his Teeth sharp and poking form his mouth as he frowned. "It was a stupid and childish thing to do, but at least these two show that the effects aren't permanent as far as the hated _you_ fused into them goes."

"Me?" responded a clearly hurt and manly voice that was coming from the now shifted one called Drace, "I may have wired that into my children, but I never tampered with yours as per the terms of our contest."

"I suppose that little part about being unable to stand the smell of roses wasn't your fault either then?" the hairy demon said agitatedly. Simon noted what the man had just said, thinking that he must be talking about werewolves; _note to self, never give Maia roses._

"Well if you weren't so poor at spell work and making diseases you wouldn't have been at a disadvantage." The other one spoke, they continued to argue for a few moment, enough time for Simon to check on the other battles, Isabelle was helping Alec, Magnus and the one called Lithus where still encased in the sphere that sparked with light.

As for Andres, he was being pushed back; the demon had managed to get to the high ground of a nearby hill and had knocked the glowing sword from his hands, which Andres was now dodging about River's strikes to retrieve. "Come on." He said to Maia and moved over around the arguing Demons who where now pointing fingers and shoving, "Bad teamwork… tisk tisk." They soon came to Luke who was resting on a tree, his side still bloody. "Luke, you ok?"

"Right now, better than before, but I still can't get this rib back in place, you think you could um?" Simon didn't wait, but placed his hand on the rib and pushed, it was better to get it over with and as Luke hissed in pain he felt the bone snap back into place. "Thanks, my condition should go into effect now but…"

Luke looked about concerned, looking at the two battles and the other demons who were now almost throwing punches. "Once those two stop fighting, we will have lost our numbers advantage, and if we lose that, and trust me, even if we out number then one of those demons equal three of us, it's over."

"I wouldn't say that." A cam voice said from the side, Simon was getting tired of being surprised by sudden appearances, but this was one voice he didn't mind hearing. He turned and smiled at Jace.

"What kept ya?" Simon asked.

**There you have it, another section, and this time we end with hope. But what in the devil are this many Demon's doing here, and why is Luke so afraid? I guess you'll just have to read and review to find out. Please Review! And with that plea I bid you good reading.**


	10. Chapter 10: Angles and Demons

**Okay, this is the author. I finally got the virus off according to my software and am ready to Post. Unfortunately I was set way back so I'll try to make up for lost time. I hope you all enjoy and please read my message at the end as it is very important. Without any further a due (and before you riot) I present…**

**CHAPTER 10: Angles and Demons ****(no copyright infringement intended, not my title)**

"Can we not just get back to the job at hand and kill these little whelps, after all Kane might show up and be cross with us if we don't snap to." Lunalis said after wiping a smear of grey blood from his claws onto his green coat, the cut on the side of Drace's shoulder healing as he stood straight. They had both lashed out at one another till Jace's scent had reached their noses. "And at this rate that becomes increasingly possible, another one just showed up."

"Careful, he doesn't smell like the others."

"Obviously not, and look at how he stands, he must be the one the youngling warned us about."

"The Angle's child eh," Drace rubbed his chin, "I'd love to sample that blood, but we promised young Jonathan that he could have his revenge."

"Leave it to a Shadowhunter to stab the young in the back."

"Literally."

They turned and spoke a few words to each other in the demon tongue. Lunalis glanced over to the other, "So one… two… three." And they moved, bursting forward and shifting, Lunalis turned more wolf like, but even as he took the face of a wolf, he stood erect and had the bone structure of a human (like the Werewolves from Underworld).Drace grew massive dagger like claws, his eye bulging and turning into molten pools of blood red, his teeth now fully extended. They sprinted forward, both leaning low and moving in silent speed toward the group by the tree. They weaved back and forth, crossing over the others path to disguise who they were aiming for. Jace however saw this and drew a shining pole from his belt, he mumbled a name under his breath and the sword flared into life.

"Better get on your feet Luke," Jace said as he took a battle stance between the advancing demons and Cary, "we have guests. Don't want to be rude do you?"

"No, no I don't." Luke said with a smirk as he hauled himself up, his body finally healing from the prior damage. He stepped between Clary and the two advancing figures, his eyes darting back and forth between them, his claws growing out. Jace made to step forward but before he could two streaks from their side burst from the group, Simon and Maia had ran ahead, clearly wanting these two to themselves, but Luke was no fool. "Don't," he cried after then, "they're trying to confuse you!"

Simon didn't listen anymore then Maia did, they aimed carefully, each heading for the demon that was most like them. However when they were just yards away the two demons crossed again, changing the opponent lineup. Simon slowed and prepared to kick; Maia shifted and pounced at Drace. Simon leap and thrust his foot toward the face of Lunalis.

It didn't take long, in an instant Drace the vampire like demon had grabbed Maia's throat and thrown her to the side, turning with talons extended to attack the wolf on the ground; Lunalis had grabbed Simon's foot and used his forward momentum to drive him straight backwards into the ground, snapping his knee out of socket in a perfectly timed counter. Luke could be heard cursing.

"They wanted them to do that, Jace now!" they both started forward to join the fray where the four creature battled, a cloud of loose dust gathering around their feet and growing to engulf them. A sudden clang caught Clary's attention and her eyes shifted to Andres. The silver blade raised high as the demon he fought parried it away and made to thrust his huge weapon through the young man. However as Clary watch he extended his palm and shot forth a blue orb that blasted the demon back. She didn't have time to think about the oddity of this before a high pitched wail drew her eyes back to the fight at hand. Maia was thrown from the dust cloud and shifted back, Drace moving to stand above her.

"So, who will save you this time?" the demon asked as his large hand rose and grew long slender talons like daggers that each measured a good foot long from his fingertips.

"MAIA!" Simon cried as he struggled in the grasp of the other demon that held him aloft off the ground, the beast drove a fist into Simon's stomach, breaking several ribs audibly and causing his eyes to lose all focus as he passed out.

Jace and Luke sprinted, but were still too far away to do anything about the impending attack on Maia, however the demon didn't strike, instead he and his partner looked toward the hillside leading to the city. "Damn, we've ran out of time, I guess we will just have to hope that Kane and the kid succeeded where we got held up." He said as he kicked with one foot at the limp Maia who rolled away.

Clary's gaze followed the demons to the hill, where she could see a large number of Shadow hunters coming of over the crest. Leading them were the Lightwoods and Penhallows. Jace didn't slow unlike everyone else, and dove at Drace, stabbing at his claws. Luke moved too, knocking Lunalis off his feet so he dropped the unconscious body of Simon to the ground. Jace kicked the other demon back as well. Without waiting Jace and Luke scooped up their comrades and turned to retreat. However as Luke turned he found himself confronting a large figure, it was Drace who had moved as fast as possible to block the path of the two weaker prey.

"Tut tut, not running away now are you?" the hell reject seemed all too pleased with this present circumstance, and was thoroughly enjoying its self. Drace raised a hand to strike, long talons flashing in the light that cut through the fog. Luke tossed a limb Maia to the side, rightfully trusting Jace who caught her as he set Simon down on his own two feet. Curiously the other demon seemed content to just stand there starring down the force of Shadowhunters that gathered on the adjacent hill.

Luke grabbed the fore arm of the large beast as it brought its hand down on him, his feet standing firm but the ground beneath cracking and breaking so he seemed to sink under the strike. His teeth where sharp and his eyes blood shot as he began to change again, shifting as fast as he could.

"Oh, no you don't." The demon spat as he brought his foot up and slammed it into Luke's midsection to knock him down. Drace raised his claws to finish the strike, yet again was impeded by a flash of light. "What now?" Drace snarled as he looked at his palm which was pierced by a long arrow shaft, an arrow shot from Alec and his bow as he squatted by a tree still in pain from his earlier injuries. "This is getting old very quickly." He pulled the arrow from his hand and continued his strike at Luke.

The Shadowhunters had gathered; save for Jace (who had told Simon to take Maia somewhere save), Luke, and Andres who where facing the opponents, Isabelle was kneeling down next to Alec who had sat back down to rest after firing the arrow. A good twenty hunters had gathered behind them, however most of them were under equipped and seemed to have come straight from the center of the city, only five of them had full gear and were ready to fight (those being the two Lightwoods and three Penhallows) and stood forward. Clary having realized what was going on moved to gather with them as well, drawing her stele and kneeling next to Alec to set to work healing him. However he threw her off and pointed toward the quickly closing Simon who carried an unconscious Maia.

"Simon, bring her over here!" Clary called as she had a few of the shadow hunters clear an area while the others moved to form a line between them and the demons forming an attempt at a battle formation with medical in the rear.

As Simon ran to her past the line he slipped but managed to cushion their fall with his leg, which he felt snap under Maia's weight, and laid her next to Clary who was about to set to work when Isabelle's hand grabbed her wrist. "She's a Downworlder; it will only make it worse."

Clary however continued after throwing her arm away, her only words to Isabelle were, "Trust me." And so she set to work, and much to Isabelle's surprise the mark stayed, instead of burning into a massive blaze as she expected. However even as it had worked it was slower and didn't take effect quickly.

***

The sparks flew every which way within their protective shield that encased the two mages as they dueled. "I see you've lost none of your flare Bane." Said a rather bored looking Lithus, who deflected another blue bolt which spun off to hit the shield and vanish and returned with a large stone conjured in flight toward the smaller magician. They both turned once, each sending a large mass of energy toward the other, twirling orbs of energy that soon collided. The spells rebounded from one another back toward the caster. However, they both showed their similar styles by slapping the two spells away so they the aimed for the same point, the top of the shield, where they would conjoin and collide with the dome. Lithus watched as he was interested to see if their combined powers would shatter the barrier that kept their battle from causing massive collateral to the surrounding area.

As he had watched and Bane had expected the shield flexed, deforming and again turning the color of the two spells (one red and one blue which created a Tie-Die of the two across the shield) and spiking where the spells had hit before returning to its dome shape. Magnus had long learned that like with skyscrapers and bridges a shield had to bend a little or it would break. "Did you expect such a small force to destroy it?" Magnus asked, unable to keep the triumphant smile from his face as Lithus turned to him.

"Impressive Bane, I think ill test this shields strength. After all I can test yours all day without any new results but this is a new spell." He seemed to gaze about through the clear bubble which seemed to deform the scenes around it slightly. "Hmmm, I think that pot would be a good one to test don't you?" he asked and lobbed a bolt of fire at a point on the wall, The shield held easily and Magnus smirked, until another more powerful spell made the shield bulge in its collision zone as it was stressed slightly. It was at this point when Magnus realized what was behind that point on the shield, not 125 yards directly in the path of his spells was a mass of people, leaving Magnus with a chill down his spine as he thought of who was amongst them. Clary, Isabelle, that vampire freak and his girlfriend probably, and…

"Alec." He whispered and sprang; He stood between the spells and the wall, Forming separate spells and casting his own in defense. A massive orb of rolling fire came at him and he crossed his arms to form a wall of conjured water and ice, the last layer a simple magic shield. The ball burned and the water and ice vanished, leaving but the shield to stop the orb. Magnus grunted as the flam crashed like a wave over him, just barely having the time to bring another strong shield to his defense. The fire passed him and scattered over the dome, but not until it had pushed Magnus till he had to take several steps back. Bane took one last step back to regain his footing and grunted with a searing pain as he felt his heel burn and was then blasted forward forcefully, he slid and recovered to look behind him only to see his shoe's back was scorched, and a blue line marking the edge of the dome was just behind his foot. "Damn."

Jace brought his fist around and slammed a crushing punch into the face of Lunalis, bending the demon to the side with the force, However the punch might have looked impressive but the moment that Jace thought he had actually managed to do some damage the beast stopped bending from the strike far too soon, He straightened quickly and brought his hand across Jace's face leaving a set of gashes form the claws that extended from his figure tips. Jace stumbled but was caught by the demon's other hand and brought up off his feet and was held limp in the air. Lunalis sucked on his teeth, "Surely you have more." He then brought his knee up and into Jace's chest causing him to cough out blood on to the ground. "I guess not." But as Lunalis tightened his muscles to toss Jace away he felt a stabbing pain in his midsection. He looked down to see a glowing blade stuck in his abdomen with Jace's hand around the hilt, In an instant he dropped Jace and was stabbed by another dagger which he drew with his other hand. Jace advanced but was soon caught upside the skull as the demon kicked him. He fell and rolled a few feet but got up quickly and took his stance. He even dared a look at Luke…

***

Luke flung himself to the side and let the fist that was coming down upon his head to smash into the ground. He turned about and shifted into a full wolf, lunging at the demon he bit into its shoulder and tastes an ashy liquid that was cold and gagged. However, his gagging was cut short as a large hand gripped his throat and tore him from the area along with a large chunk of flesh. The demon rolled to the left and took Luke with him in an attempt to knock him off as they rolled on the ground. However Luke let go and lunged again to attack at the beast's throat. Brackish red blood sprayed over Luke's newly grown fur as the battle continued.

Jace was also covered in blood on the side of his face, but this was his own as it flowed from a large gash on the side of his head. A flash of light that was his seraph blade came to stop yet another claw from doing more damage to him, his eyes sparkling with a golden hue that indicated his angelic blood was in full flow. His reflexes were far faster than any of the other warriors there. Jace had proven himself far more capable to defend himself than any other his age, and was not about to let the mass of other hunters risk themselves by joining in this fight. To ensure they didn't, he would need to make their assistance pointless, he had to end this fight and quickly. And so he made his move, darting under a clawed hand and stepping behind his opponent as fast as he could, which was fast needless to say, and taking aim for his enemy's spinal column. It's as he had told Clary once, "Kill 'em quick, that's how I live… that's _why_ I live." He brought his hand back and felt the blade sink into the back of his enemy. He twisted as he met the bone and pressed at hard as he could, only to find that it was not piercing the internal structure. The demon had slowed and was almost dazed however, so Jace drew another blade and slammed it higher in the creatures back. He pulled down and pressed with all his might and yet it did nothing to break the bone.

(He is Fighting Lunalis not Drace)

"Not disappointed I hope," the shape shifter sneered and turned about to face Jace again, standing tall and unshaken by his attack, "You just don't seem to get it boy." The creature grabbed a stunned Jace by his shirt collar and hoisted him off the ground, his feet dangling in the air as he went slightly limp. He had yet to meet a foe that could shake off an attack like that; even Jonathan hadn't been this resilient. "I'm not your average demon, Nephilim." He looked with amusement at Jace's dangling form. Jace couldn't move as something was stopping his nerves from communicating with each other. The only thing he felt was the pain streaming from the various cuts on his body. "My venom immobilizes even the mightiest Nephilim." He placed a now longer index claw to Jace's throat and pressed the sharpest end to the far side. The blood flowed from a small puncture in the upper area of Jace's neck, like a lion playing with its food, he was in no immediate danger, save for the venom and the knife like claw at his neck.

Jace's eyes were dim, he couldn't move and couldn't get his blood flowing enough to do anything about it; and he was just barely aware of the demon's rambling on about the various effects of the poison as he glanced about to survey his last sights. He felt as though he had let the others down. He had lost and soon more hunters would be fighting, and dying. He glanced over at Luce, who had just stood from the limp body of Drace; at least Luke might be able to finish what he had started. However, that hope fell as Luke fell to one knee weak from the battle. He glanced to Andre, who brought his shimmering sword down hard on the demon he was fighting. Perhaps he would come to the rescue, but he seemed busy. At last his eyes fell of Clary beyond Lunalis' shoulder, he look of terror at watching him about to die (not that this was the first time mind you) and her evident look of hate for the creature about to do so. He had no doubt that she would immediately rush Lunalis the moment he let Jace fall dead, and that she would most likely be his next victim. "I'm sorry Clary." He thought.

"After I finish with you I suppose ill need to pick another victim. How about this Clary you keep muttering about." Lunalis said casually as he held Jace aloft. Jace had been speaking his inner thought softly without realizing it (if he had listened to Lunalis as he had listed his venom's effects he would have known that it works as a strong truth serum making people speak what's really on their mind. Literally) Jace was suddenly acutely aware of how real his darkest fears were.

"No…" he coughed out, stronger then the demon though he would be able to. "I won't let you lay a finger on her…" he was speaking cognitively and his muscles were responding slightly. However Lunalis was too cocky to be truly worried, they always resist just a bit right before the end. "Leave her alone," his eyes burst into a flaming golden color and Lunalis was instantly taken aback, "you son of a bitch!" Jace's arm shot up and pushed the claw away as a stunned demon loosened his grip. Jace Swung his leg back and brought them forward to kick the beast in the chest and launch himself into the air. He vaulted high above the figure as the demon lurched forward from the thrust in his abdomen. Jace landed easily behind the creature as it began to straighten up and prepare to strike. He wouldn't get the chance as the Nephilim kicked out and took aim at the knife in the lower back of Lunalis. He didn't wait to capitalize on this and punched with all his strength (and I mean All of it) rotating his waist and stepping forward to place as much weight and momentum behind the hit. Lunalis turned on his knees in time to catch the fist in his jaw and was flung backwards. Jace's gleaming eyes were evidence on his power before the effect of the punch became apparent. The latter became obvious as the demon was wrenched off its knees and flung back several feet to the ground, where it didn't stir.

"Stay down." Jace advised and spared himself a glance toward Luke, he knew he didn't have long before Lunalis was back up again, and was shocked to see Luke pinned on the ground under the other demon. He almost leapt to help his comrade when a flash of movement caught his eye. He saw Andres launch himself upon the large vampire like demon and sink a shining silver blade into its shoulder before judo throwing it over his shoulder. Jace was truly grateful for this and turned to face his own opponent who was standing with difficulty. He glanced from Lunalis to the sky above, a deep shade of violet and growing lighter. This was supplemented by a tower in the distance that though tall was showing a bright glimmer of sunlight on its top showing that dawn was fast approaching, the demons had maybe ten minutes to get back to their own infernal hole before they would turn to ash. However this respite was cut short as Jace heard a cry from before him, Lunalis was shifting into a massive wolf-like creature and extending his claws to attack him.

***

"Your friends aren't doing so well." River taunted as he parried an incoming strike from the shimmering blade and stepped into the strike in an attempt to capitalize on the opportunity it created. This was stopped by Andre stepping forward himself and bringing his armored shoulder into Rivers jaw, pushing him back while bringing this blade up to cut yet another gash on the demons face. The cut healed after a few seconds, but the black blood clung to the blade and sizzled as it evaporated.

"I'm not worried about those other hunters; perhaps you should focus more on this fight." River advanced as Andre side stepped him and brought the shining sword down upon his enemy. The blade was deflected and once again they were in a systematic swinging of blades, River struck Andre's arm and cut through his armor to the skin. His blood dripped out and River smirked as he backed up, Licking the edge of his blade to clean it. Andre sighed and touched the mark that had been cut when the blade severed the armor. The armor and his skin mended instantly. Andre glanced at the now empty place where the mark used to be, his armor much less decorated than when the battle had began.

"Running out of marks Captain Clearfield?" River took a ready stance, "Perhaps you shouldn't have underestimated me."

"Look at your own clothes before you make such a statement," Andre responded and started to advance, "you're not doing too well here."

"I am far better off than your comrades." Rivers clothes were shredded beyond recognition, and yet Andre was making no headway, he wasn't fighting to his full but neither was river, and a stolen glance to his allies showed they were not in a good position. Jace was being held aloft and Luke was being thrown away, as for the mage the bubble was starting to flux.

"I suppose I can't waste any more time with you River." Andre pushed forward and broke a lock they had been in for the past few moments of conversation. He stepped forward and tried to capitalize on his advantage only to find River had morphed his other hand into a sickle and had to step back to avoid being decapitated.

"I can't allow that, I have to keep you busy till the others finish our mission or else _He_ will have my head." River explained and moved forward; with a downward slash he ripped the left side of Andre's flowing coat tail. However Andre had a plan.

"Fine then, I'll fight you." He stepped back and pressed a figure into a large mark on his left arm. His whole body glowed and vibrated until his shape was distorted, slowly the shape formed into three vibrating form as the first form of Andre came back into focus. The other three formed into mimics of the Shadowhunter. River stared. "Or at least, you can fight him."

"That's a new trick." River admitted. The origin indicated to the Andre of the far left moved forward and drew two medium sized seraph blades. The other three, including the original turned to head off and Assist the others. River tried to ignore this and made to go after the first Andre but found a fresh one that had been left to face him blocking his path

"They aren't your opponent, I am." And he struck…

**The virus I had unfortunately might still be hiding so I'm hoping this wont screw me over but whatever, I had up to chapter 17 done but the virus got them and now I'm stuck rewriting it all. Hopefully I can get a move on but I am a bit pressed at school (Graduation in 8 weeks!). Also, I will be looking for a beta reader to help with the Grammar problem (Grammar NAZI's!) and I would like to get more than one person who previews my chapters and gives me feedback before posting beyond grammar. To be any of these things please simply send me a message and I'll get back to you. **

**NEXT CHAPTER; Chapter 11, Tomb Raiders**

**Prepare for the story to get on a roll next chapter. Read and Review if you want more!**


	11. Chapter 11: Tomb Raiders

**Don't shoot me, I know it's been **_**FOREVER**_** and I apologize, I have no excuse but now that I have the time I'll make up for it. Got a new computer and everything so let's see what we can do about this battle that has been waging for far too long. By the end of this chapter most if not all of the story's many enemies and allies will be clear, though the plot is far from done and dried. **

**Disclaimer: I DOT NOT OWN The Mortal Instruments saga or any of the merchandise from the books, though I would gladly invest in a movie of them.**

**Chapter 11: Tomb Raiders**

Clary had grown up so much in the past few months that she could hardly imagine her old life, it was as though this new one fit her so perfectly and naturally that it **was** her old life, and that the life before had been the mask she had worn. She had seen impossible feats of strength and astounding power of being that to any other "mundane" would seem a god! And the scene before her put it all to shame, and not in a good or exciting way.

This was incredible, the whole battle had waged for what seemed like hours, and even with the most potent and fear Shadowhunters in the world all fighting against these demons, and they were getting tossed about like they were rag dolls. It was inconceivable how Jace, Luke, Simon, Isabella, all of the strongest of the strong had managed to defeat so many demons before and these seemingly basic beasts were beating them down like they were nothing. And then there was this new guy, or at the moment guy**s**, from some secret organization of the Nephilim who was not only fighting on par with these obscenely powerful monsters but was actually toying with one of them like it was an expedition at some martial arts tournament while Clary watched her friends be hurt or worse. She was concerned by all of this beyond pulling her hair out, and for some reason she knew, "It's not over yet."

Andre moved with purpose, his doppelgangers splitting up to help the others that needed it. One was already at his designated target, which was closer than any of the others and was already joining the fray of Luke and Drace to intervene. The other doppelganger had a similar distance to go as he headed to assault the wolf like creature now lunging at Jace; it did so with difficulty, kicking the beast to the side with a loud crack as the copies leg broke.

Andre, the original Andre, was heading for the Dome of energy, knowing his powers would be needed to take on a mage demon and that the copies were only a third as skilled as he was at combat. It would take all he had to stay alive against that monster in the dome battling the odd Warlock. He would never reach the dome…

"Where do you think you're going sugar?" an eerily sweet and sultry voice asked from behind him. He turned to see who it could be but never got a view, not before he was picked up bodily and thrown like a toy back the direction he came, actually he was thrown a bit to the left and collided with Jace and his assisting counterpart who had healed with a mark and was staring down the massive wolf before them.

Andre didn't see what had picked him up and thrown him so easily, but clary and the others did. It was a skinny woman with flowing hair, who looked exactly like Drace had when he had appeared disguised as a woman. She was barely over half his size and couldn't have weighted much more than a third his weight and yet she had thrown him with one hand like she was throwing a rag over her shoulder. Yet another unbelievable thing she had seen on this one battlefield.

Lunalis was taken aback by the fact that his targets had just been hit with some kind of white and silver missile, he quickly realized it was Andre and chuckled to himself before he began to wonder why he had tackled his own allies. What could he be thinking?

Of course it didn't take him long to realize the source of these strange events were standing over to the side looking at her nails with interest. "Oh, I broke a nail, that armor is tough." She said with a uninterested tone of voice.

"It's over," Mr. Lightwood said as he gazed at the newcomer. Clary rolled her eyes without looking at him, thinking that he was so dramatic and that these constant newcomers were starting to wear on her and her enemies' nerves. Or at least that is how she reacted till she noted the way the other demons had frozen in place. The only one still fighting was the magic demon battling in the dome; all the others had a look of concern, or possibly fear.

"It's about time you showed up Kane," Lunalis said with a huff to the demon woman who had seductively walked over to stand beside him as the others slowly got to their feet after having collided and slid a few feet away, "These damn brats have been giving us one hell of a-"

He was cut off by that striking of a clawed hand against the side of his face which had more power behind it than the woman seemed capable of. Lunalis was probably around 300 pounds and over six feet tall and yet that small lady had hit him with such force he was lifted bodily off his feet and thrown like a missile into a nearby grave marker, which he smashed through and landed ten feet behind. She spat at him, her voice shrewd and condescending, "If you were so fucking incompetent I wouldn't have to come here and break up your stupid fight!" she shrieked at him.

She looked to the other demons and called out shrilly, "Get your asses moving, we're leaving!" she called looking over to the far side of the Graveyard where Clary and the others were watching from. "Jonathan! Stop stalking your sister and get the item now!" she ordered. Jace stopped in his tracks; he and the others had been trying to maneuver to attack until that statement.

Clary froze and a shiver ran down her spine as the Shadow hunters around her all stepped back and drew their weapons. Not a moment had passed after the demon had shouted and Jonathan was already standing there. He seemed to have flowed from the ground, the dirt becoming a blackish liquid from which he rose like the angle had risen from the lake. His face was contorted in anger as he was forced to jump away, his right index finger had been so close to Clary's throat and yet the other demons outburst had suddenly alerted the transfixed hunters to his presence right before their eyes, his finger had shifted form much like Rivers arm had into a blade and though he was so close to his goal with the hunters all aware of him he had to retreat. To do so he crouched low, whispering softly into Clary's ears, "your luck can't last forever dearest sister." Be for he jumped high into the air and away from them, landing on a high Mausoleum some 10 yards away with a loud thud. "Damn you Kane, I almost had her that time!"

"You were told if you couldn't kill her in the city then you weren't to kill her at all! That was _His_ orders!" she replied.

"And since when did I follow that fools orders?" he responded softly with a sly grin at the female creature.

"Watch yourself Jonathan!" she threatened and gestured to the sun that was swiftly approaching, "Get the ashes and lets go!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever…" he said dismissively as he looked down at the Mausoleum he had landed on. Jace and Luke instantly realized which one it was by the large crest on the door, the crest of the Morgenstern family. Jonathan raised one hand to the sky, and without warning it began to glow, suddenly and violently. The whole of his right arm was breathed in bolts of lighting and energy, and as he brought it down they raced off his skin and into the stone. Mile-seconds later the rock burst open the entirety of the tomb split in half down the middle and broken from the collapsed roof. In the flash of light Jonathan had vanished, only to reappear as he exited the structure a moment later carrying a small silver urn in his right hand as the tomb completely collapsed behind him, "Say hey to daddy, Clary dear." He said smugly as he held up the urn to her.

"Shut up, Lunalis, River, Drace, we're leaving!" she barked.

"What about Lithus?" River asked as he ducked under an attack from one of the false Andres.

"He's a big boy, lets go." She said with a jerk of her head, "Until next time boys." She called sweetly to Andre and Jace. The ground beneath her and the other demons turned to a liquid black muck that they slowly began to sink into the portal and vanished. Jonathan waited for a moment to taunt the others.

"Oh no you don't!" Andre called and he and his copies moved to converge on the boy, however before they could reach him he made a gun with the pointer of his left hand and his thumb and pretended to fire it at Clary, immediately after the ground beneath him shifted and he fell through swiftly, ducking under the shining longsword of Andre with a devilish smile. "Damn it all!"

Andre was cursing himself for letting him get away; this battle was a total loss. They hadn't even put a dent in the enemy and now they had gotten away with something clearly important to them. Of course Magnus was still fighting Lithus in the dome but at this point he didn't think that battle would last much longer either and frankly Andre didn't have any fight left. He had enough energy to stow his sword and look to Clary and the others with an apologetic look in his ever shifting eyes before they closed and he fell his copies turning to ash and blowing away in the wind.

Isabella and Clary moved toward him but would never get there in time, the pack of shadow hunters standing fast on the hill trying to make sense of the past few hours events. The Dome was suddenly clear as the blasts form either mage died down. Clearly Lithus was aware of the fact he was alone but that didn't seem to interest him, or Clary and Isabella for that matter. Instead they were trying to get to Andre to catch him as they fell, but they would never make it, luckily Jace did, Catching the guy his age as he fell forward and laying him down gently on the ground. He coughed and chuckled as a spatter of blood leaked from his mouth. His side was spilling red at the point where the female demon had caught him near his ribs with her claws. The tunic and armor were torn open as was his skin. Clary dropped next to him with concern in her eyes, Isabella with what looked like near a tear. "Get me a Stele!" she cried to the others on the hill. No one moved. Jae however, still had a stele form one of the copies and handed it to Isabella hastily.

Andre was out cold, his eyes closed and his face with a stupid grin on it as the blood dripped from his mouth. Isabelle raised his arm and tore his armored glove off his hand, exposing his scared flesh which had the marks of many seals that had been placed on it over the years. She bent down to draw the healing mark on his skin when a hand grabbed her wrist and held her fast, though she struggled, arguing that he "needs help, he helped us!" and "Damn it, let me go, mother fucking son of a!" but the hand held fast.

"A regular stele will only do more harm to someone like him Isabella." A soft and wise voice said from behind her as she calmed down slightly, it was Luke who had gripper her arm to prevent her from doing more harm. "The wound looks bad, I know, but he'll be fine with some rest."

"Or, if we use a special stele." Clary whispered as she reached around to her pouch and drew out the ornate and strange stele and took Andre's hand from Isabella, preparing to make the mark.

That was until that world went dark as if clouds had just been drawn over the sky above and a flash of red light shot behind her and to the hill beyond. No explosion followed, but the group parted and as Clary and the others looked they all felt their hearts sink as a young man's body fell to the ground with a thud.

Darkness, a Flash, a thud, and then a scream from Isabella; An ear splitting, gut wrenching scream that made Clary shiver to the bone more then what she had just witnessed.

"**ALEC!"…**

**Don't shoot! It won't be long till the next chapter. I won't say anymore, just please keep the shouting to a minimum, I promise you'll be rewarded!**

**Chapter 12: When Things Hit Rock Bottom…**


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